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Textiles Faculty’s Research, Mentorship Earns Him Faculty Honors

Textile Protection and Comfort Center

Arash Kasebi holds a camera and speaks to two people in firefighter helmets and gear outside near a large brown industrial structure.

Oct 9, 2025

TPACC Collaborates With Firefighters As New Foams Enter Market

As stations make the switch to biodegradable foams, the Wilson College’s Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center is working with several organizations to teach firefighters how to use the new foams effectively. 
Bryan Ormond in a white lab coat

Oct 1, 2025

Staying Nimble to Serve a Growing Array of Partners: TPACC’s Vision Under a New Leader

Bryan Ormond took over in July as the Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center’s new director. He’s optimistic about the research and testing hub’s future.
Dynamic PyroMan on fire in the Textile Protection and Comfort Center.

Jul 1, 2025

Wilson College of Textiles Names New Director of Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center

Associate Professor Bryan Ormond will become the second director of TPACC as Professor Roger Barker moves into a new role.

Jordan Everett wears glasses and shoulder-length braids and smiles in the courtyard of the Wilson College of Textiles. She wears a red "NC STATE" pullover. Green trees, grass, and a brick building appear in the background.

May 12, 2025

Jordan Everett ’25 Starts Her Career in Activewear

Getting involved and exploring the world gave this textile technology graduate the skills, and the confidence, for her next stop at Columbia Sportswear.
Roger Barker and John Morton-Aslanis working together in TPACC

Apr 4, 2025

Milliken Naming Investment Fuels NC State Research in the Textile Protection and Comfort Center

A $1.5 million investment from the Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation will accelerate protective and comfort research and create critical graduate fellowships in the newly named Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center.
A group of people monitors a Dynamic PyroMan test in a TPACC laboratory. One person is seated at a computer workstation with data on the screen, Roger Barker and others stand nearby. A large blaze is visible through a window, contained in a separate room.

Nov 21, 2024

Wilson College of Textiles Featured on PBS NOVA’s Building Stuff Series

NC State researchers' efforts to improve firefighter turnout suits have gained national media attention.

Melissa Armistead adjusts a mask on a mannequin head. Several colorful mannequin heads are lined up on a workbench, each with an open mouth, which is part of a research or testing setup. A door and equipment are visible in the background.

Nov 6, 2024

Wilson College Doctoral Student Recognized With $10,000 Scholarship for Cutting-Edge Research

The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) recently celebrated the research of Melissa Armistead, a fiber and polymer science Ph.D. student, for work that could prove pivotal for firefighters on the front lines.
Roger Barker and two graduate students watch PyroMan

Jun 11, 2024

TPACC Marks 30 Years of Innovating and Adapting to Meet the Needs of Government, Industry Partners

The one-of-a-kind facility on NC State’s Centennial Campus remains an invaluable asset for NC State, the Wilson College of Textiles and its partners.
Mushfika Mica adjusts the female sweating manikin.

Jun 10, 2024

New Equipment Will Help TPACC Researchers Test Military, Fire Fighting Gear for Women Who Serve

The Wilson College of Textiles' new testing manikin should reduce gender-based discrepancies in the safety and comfort of critical gear.
Bryan Ormond in a white lab coat

Jun 5, 2024

Textiles Faculty’s Research, Mentorship Earns Him Faculty Honors

Wilson College of Textiles Assistant Professor Bryan Ormond has been named a 2024 Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor. See how he’s building a lasting legacy of mentorship and support for students.