The Wilson College of Textiles is proud to announce that six faculty members earned promotions this past academic year for their work advancing technology, scientific understanding and academic excellence. 

Professor Kavita Mathur

Kavita Mathur earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in India: a B.S. in textiles and clothing from the Rajasthan Agricultural University and an M.S. in textiles and clothing from the Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women’s University. Then she crossed the ocean to earn her doctoral degree in fiber and polymer science from the Wilson College in 2007. Knowing industry experience was essential to build her knowledge, Mathur moved to Greensboro to work at Precision Fabrics Group. Later on, she worked as general manager of Innovation and Patents for Welspun USA.

She returned to the Wilson College in 2018, having led teams developing everything from home to medical textiles. In 2024, she was named a University Faculty Scholar, a distinction bestowed on some 20 faculty members from across the campuses each year. It recognized her as a leader both in industry and academia, a reflection of her commitment to community-driven innovation. 

Mathur currently serves as the associate department head and director of graduate programs for the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management.

Associate Professor Januka Budhathoki-Uprety

Januka Budhathoki-Uprety earned a B.S. in chemistry, botany and zoology, then an M.S. in organic chemistry from Tribhuvan University in Nepal. She went on to earn her M.S. in chemistry from Western Carolina University and Ph.D. in chemistry from NC State. Her research brought her expertise in polymer chemistry and biomedical textiles — a field she has remained in and contributed to significantly.

At the Wilson College, Budhathoki-Uprety teaches 400- and 500-level polymer chemistry courses and mentors undergraduates during the summer for the Research Experience for Undergraduates. She also leads the Budhathoki Research Group, an assembly of undergraduate and graduate researchers innovating technology with nanomaterials. She was awarded the 2024 Outstanding Teacher Award by the executive vice chancellor and provost, an award reserved for some 15 exemplary faculty every year. 

Associate Professor Xiaomeng Fang

Xiaomeng Fang earned her B.S. in textile science and engineering and her M.S. in textile material science from Donghua University. She then came to NC State and earned her Ph.D. in fiber and polymer science in 2017 before serving as a lecturer and postdoctoral researcher in the Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC). As a faculty member, she has taught a variety of textile technology courses to undergraduate students, ranging from yarn spinning and weaving technology to fiber science. Her research is focused on developing advanced flexible/fiber-based electronics in the hopes to create technology aiding human health and well-being. She leads the Fang Research Group, where she guides graduate and undergraduate students in developing advanced soft-fiber based electronics, or tiny robots made of braided fibers. 

Fang’s work also leads a one-week textile-based robotics summer camp annually for high school students. She was one of two Wilson College faculty members to receive the Outstanding Engagement Award in 2026 for her ongoing efforts to provide meaning to North Carolinian communities beyond the classroom. 

Associate Professor Jessica Gluck

Jessica Gluck earned her B.S. in textile technology and M.S. with research concentrating on biomedical textiles from NC State. She then moved across the country to study at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned her M.S. in biomedical engineering and Ph.D. in molecular, cellular and integrative physiology. After a few years working in the industry, she returned to the Wilson College, ready to teach and conduct research, in 2021. She was one of two Wilson College faculty awarded the Goodnight Early Career Innovators Award in 2024 for her incredible influence and progress in her field.

At the Gluck Tissue Engineering Lab, Gluck works with students to research how internal environments influence how cells function. They are working to create fine-tunable biomaterials to better understand how our bodily tissues develop and respond to stimuli. Gluck also serves as the co-director of education and training at the Comparative Medicine Institute, an NC State institute using interdisciplinary research to solve larger problems in human and animal health.  Gluck has been awarded several research seed grants through CMI’s Think, Collaborate and Do Ideation Awards. 

Associate Professor Rong Yin

Rong Yin earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Shanghai Normal University, his M.S. in mechanical design and theory from Donghua University and his Ph.D. in textile engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. At the Wilson College, he teaches high-level courses in yarn processing, textile engineering and fiber science.

Yin’s work in updating fiber science curriculum for both undergraduates and graduates, as well exceptional leadership in the Yin Research Lab, earned him NC State’s Goodnight Early Career Innovators Award in 2024. His research aims to advance spinning technologies, wearable and flexible e-textiles, and modeling and characterizing textiles processes. 

In 2025, Yin was awarded the prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, recognizing his potential to become a leader in his field. He anticipates receiving up to $500,000 by the grant’s 2030 end date to conduct research to understand and further strengthen hemp fibers. He has also received research grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Navy, reflecting the national impact of his research. 

Associate Professor Mengmeng Zhu

Mengmeng Zhu earned a B.A. in industrial engineering from Nanjing University of Technology, and two master’s degrees (M.S. in statistics and M.S. in industrial and systems engineering) and a Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering from Rutgers University. After working in the industry with an expertise in statistics and manufacturing operations, she joined the WIlson College faculty in 2019. 

She serves as an associate faculty in the Operations Research Graduate Program at NC State. Her research is centered on systems engineering and computational data analytics and mathematical modeling for system reliability, resilience and health monitoring. Zhu was awarded the Outstanding Teacher Award in 2026, recognizing her excellence in teaching and fostering a productive learning environment.