What's Happening Around SPE

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Thank You SPE Chapter Students @ANTEC® Sponsors!

We would like to thank the following chapters and divisions for sponsoring student activities at ANTEC® 2024: Applied Rheology, Automotive, Bioplastics and Renewable Technologies, Blow Molding, Color and Appearance, Connecticut, Decorating and Coatings, Engineering Properties and Structures, Extrusion, Flexible Packaging, Golden Gate, India, Injection Molding, Lower Rio Grande (in honor of Oscar Garcia), Mold Technologies, Palisades - MidAtlantic, Polymer Analysis, Rotational Molding, Thermoplastic Elastomers, Thermoset, and Western Michigan. Chapter support helps students attend and participate in ANTEC®, providing excellent opportunities to expand knowledge and network with their peers and mentors in the plastics industry!

Fellow of Society Award Recipients Announced

SPE recently announced the 2024 recipients of its Fellow of Society Award. 2024 Fellow awardees are Dr. Peter Frenkel, Vice President-Technology, Galata Chemicals; Dr. Wenyi Huang, Principal Research Scientist, DuPont; Dr. Harry Mavridis, Director of Product Development & Circular Design Americas, LyondellBasell; Dr. Jeff Munro, Senior Research Scientist, Dow Chemical Company, Dr. Srikanth Pilla, Professor and Director, Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware; and Dr. Li-Ying Tammy Yang, Research Fellow, GAF. Fellow recipients will be recognized at SPE’s Honors and Awards Lunch during ANTEC® on Wednesday, March 6.

SPE Announces HSM Award Recipients for 2024

In January, SPE named the 2024 recipients for its prestigious Honored Service Members (HSM) Award. 2024 HSM Award recipients are Jeffrey S. Drusda, Technical Service Principal Scientist, The Chemours Company; Pierre R. Moulinie, Global Technical Marketing Head, Healthcare for Engineering Plastics, Covestro AG; David A. Okonski, Engineering Manager, IACMI-The Composites Institute. HSM recipients will be recognized at SPE’s Honors and Awards Lunch during ANTEC® on Wednesday, March 6.

Plastics Engineering Releases Tailored Content

SPE’s Plastics Engineering (PE) ‘special digests’ aim to deliver valuable and tailored content that speaks directly to the unique interests and needs of an exclusive audience. With a monthly release, readers can expect to receive content that resonates with them and complements in more detail our weekly PE Digest. You won't receive a digest each month automatically. Instead, you will receive our Special PE Digest only when we have curated content that aligns perfectly with your interests. Keep an eye out!

Plastics Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2024 Inductees

Established in 1972, the Plastics Hall of Fame has grown to 236 members representing ten countries, including five Nobel Prize winners in chemistry. Induction into the Plastics Hall of Fame is based strictly on accomplishment. It is within reach of those dedicated to advancing this global industry. The Plastics Hall of Fame recognizes the outstanding achievements of such individuals and inspires those entering the industry around the world. SPE is proud that the following members were inducted into this very prestigious class: J. Michael Cude, Arthur Haag, Wolfgang Meyer, Dr. Nick Schott, and Kurt Swogger.

Unlock Your Leadership Potential

If you're aspiring to move into a leadership position, whether it involves managing teams or projects, SPE's Essentials of Management & Leadership in Plastics is ideal for you to refine your leadership skills. The fourth cohort of this online program starts in April 2024 and runs through September 2024, and is expertly guided by Dr. Sarah Skidmore, a seasoned leadership specialist and experienced strategic consultant.

SPE Foundation

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SPE Foundation Scholarship Applications Now Open

Are you or do you know a student pursuing a degree beneficial to the plastics industry? The SPE Foundation Scholarship application is open! Apply any time before April 1 to be considered for our generous scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Last year, 98 scholarships were awarded to 64 students totaling $234,225 in funds.

SPE Foundation Brings Girl Scout Patch Program to Upcoming Event

On April 6th, the SPE Foundation is bringing its SPE Color Your World with Polymer Science Patch Program to the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana for an all-day event in Lemont, IL. More than 150 Girl Scouts will experience fun activities as they discover the amazing science behind plastics and polymers. Thanks to our donors who make this work possible! Be a part of it at give.4spe.org.

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SPE News Story Ideas?

Know a member who is doing outstanding things in plastics or in SPE? Have you heard about or are part of a chapter that is making an impact or a difference in the industry? Let us know if you have any story ideas for SPE News! Feel free to contact Chris Barry at cbarry@4spe.org.

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Upcoming Events

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  International Polyolefins Conference

  Feb 18 - 21 | Galveston, TX
  Register
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  ANTEC® 2024

  March 4-7 | St. Louis, MO
  Register
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  SPE Webinar: Using Rheological Techniques to Fingerprint Polymer Architecture

  March 12 | Online
  Register
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  SPE Webinar: Introduction to Process and Thermal Stabilization in Polyolefins and Engineering Polymers

  March 28 | Online
  Register

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