Dean Blanton Godfrey, Dean of the College of Textiles at NC State University, is pleased to announce that Dr. Harold Freeman has been named the new Associate Dean for Research and Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi has been named the new Associate Dean for Industry Research and Extension. “Drs. Freeman and Pourdeyhimi will bring a great deal of experience and enthusiasm to their new positions. By splitting the research leadership we plan to double our research funding in each area within a few years. Never before has industry been so supportive of the College of Textiles and never before have we had so many new opportunities for federal and state research funding,” says Dean Blanton Godfrey. Freeman and Pourdeyhimi will replace Dr. David Buchanan who was Associate Dean for Research and Extension. The College decided to split the research leadership of the College in two parts focusing on federal and government sponsored research and on industry sponsored research and analysis and testing.

Harold Freeman will become Associate Dean for Research and focus his efforts on federally funded and other government funded research. His primary responsibilities will be serving as NC State Site Director and on the Operating Board of the National Textile Center (NTC), overseeing the proposals from the College of Textiles to the NTC. In addition, he will be working with the dean in assuring the continuance of basic textile research funding from Congress and improving the research process through collaboration with the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and the Research Operations Council. He will also explore other sources of federal and government funds. Furthermore, Freeman will work closely with other colleges in the university in creating new federally-funded research centers.

Harold will ensure that all college researchers comply with federal cost accounting standards, conflicts of interest, the institutional review board guidelines protecting human subjects, and scientific misconduct issues. This position requires working closely with the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies and the Research Operations Council.

Dr. Freeman earned his bachelor of science degree in 1972 in chemistry from North Carolina A&T State University and his master’s in 1978 and Ph.D. in 1981 both in Organic Chemistry from NC State University. Following the completion of the BS degree in chemistry from N.C.A&T State University, he was employed as an organic chemist for nine and a half years at Burroughs-Wellcome Company. It was during this employment that he completed MS and PhD degrees in organic chemistry. He joined N.C. State University as Associate Professor of textile chemistry in 1982 and was promoted to professor in 1989. Two years later he was chosen as the first Ciba-Geigy Professor of Dyestuff Chemistry.

“From a department perspective, we will certainly miss Dr. Freeman’s leadership of our graduate programs. From a College perspective, we look forward to the new research opportunities that Dr. Freeman’s vision and efforts will bring. He certainly brings both breadth and depth in research and research administration to his new position. We wish him success,” says Dr. Keith Beck, Department Head for Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science.

Behnam Pourdeyhimi will become Associate Dean for Industry Research and Extension. This position includes oversight of our Research Centers, industry research relationships, and our laboratories. His primary responsibility will be directing the College’s primary industry research partnership, the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC). He will also work closely with the College’s other existing center, the Textile Protection and Comfort Center (T-PACC), and our emerging research collaborative, the ITT/NCSU Consortium for Textile and Materials Research. Pourdeyhimi will also work with faculty to explore potential research consortia and new opportunities for industry-sponsored research in new areas.

Working closely with the College Safety Committee Chair, Pourdeyhimi will ensure compliance with the college’s laboratory safety plans and other related university polices. He will oversee establishment of facility use rates and work closely with the Office of Technology Transfer. In addition, Pourdeyhimi will work with faculty, the development office and staff in increasing industry-supported research and research gifts.

“To have someone dedicated to industrial research will help the college accomplish many goals,” Dr. Brent Smith, Cone Mills Professor of Textile Chemistry and member of the search committee, said. “In the 20 years that I have been here, students and faculty alike want to see an increased emphasis on industrial resources. It is good for all of us at the college.”

Behnam received his Ph. D. from Leeds University in 1982.  This was followed by positions as a research scientist at NC State and then at Cornell University.  His academic career has taken him through University of Maryland from 1984 through 1995 and Georgia Institute of Technology from 1995 through 1999. Pourdeyhimi was recently named the William A. Klopman Distinguished Endowed Chaired Professor. He is also, the Director of the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center at the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. 

Both associate dean positions will report directly to the dean.

THE COLLEGE OF TEXTILES NEEDS YOUR HELP!
BE A COLLEGE OF TEXTILES MENTOR TO A FRESHMAN

As a graduate of the best College of Textiles in the world, we want to reengage you into college life! Sure, many of you may come back to Raleigh to sporting events to support the Pack, but wouldn't it be great to support the College of Textiles, right from your hometown? Every year there is a new crop of Wolfpackers joining the family at the College of Textiles. These freshmen need guidance and help from faculty, peers and advisors, but they also need mentoring from you. With the help from alumni like you, a student can gain knowledge to make their life at NC State even richer.  Our plan here at the college is to pair each incoming freshmen with an alumnus. The following shows the outline of how the program will work.

• Pairing of alumni with incoming freshmen will happen at the end of summer each year.
• Alumni will contact freshmen or the freshmen may call you first. Information will be sent to you and your freshmen.
• Call or email twice a semester during their freshmen year. If you can meet them that would be great.
• Help student retain contacts for summer jobs to gain experience in the textile industry or your related industry.
• After their freshmen year, call or email at least once a semester.
• Continue throughout the mentee's years at the college to help with advice and employment.
• Alumni will have the opportunity to have another incoming freshmen at any time.

This program is a small but important way for you to give back to the college and in the process help students gain the most out of their college experience. It won't take that much of your time, but we guarantee it will reengage you in the university and college and bring you back to the days when you were experiencing life as a student at NC State University College of Textiles.

If you are interested please email the following information to Emily Parker, at emily_parker@ncsu.edu : name, year of graduation, major, address, county, phone number, email address, company employed with and title. Please put the subject of the email as “Alumni Mentoring Program.” We look forward to hearing from you and hope you will help in our effort!