Extension Associate Director at Zeis Textiles Honored with Outstanding Extension Accolade
Melissa Sharp Wins Outstanding Extension Award for Sustainable Textile Innovation
Melissa Sharp, the deputy CEO of the Textile Innovation Engine (The Engine) in North Carolina, has been named a winner of this year's Outstanding Extension Award. The award recognises her significant contributions to the sustainable textile industry in the state.
Sharp, who also serves as the associate director of the Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE) at NC State, has been instrumental in driving research and development efforts at The Engine. Her work has focused on accelerating the nation's and North Carolina's capacity for advancing sustainable textile innovation.
One of Sharp's key achievements is her leadership in collaborative research to develop new bio-based polymers. These polymers are derived from plant and microbial sources and processed into textile fibers, with the aim of producing regenerative materials that enhance textile circularity and reduce environmental impact.
Sharp has also been at the forefront of driving the use of plant-based and bio-based materials like cotton, hemp, and PLA (polylactic acid), which have better recycling properties and lower environmental footprints.
In addition, Sharp has built a textile circularity consortium that connects product designers, manufacturers, researchers, and waste collectors to solve challenges in textile recycling and circularity. This consortium fosters direct collaboration to bring circular goods to market, addressing major impediments to sustainability in the textile industry.
Sharp's work has also extended beyond North Carolina's borders. She has spearheaded NC State's collaboration with a dozen companies in Central America for textile industry careers as part of the initiative Hilando Oportunidades, fostering career development for over 1,000 students across northern Honduras.
Furthermore, Sharp has facilitated a new Hemp Consortium that aims to build a robust supply chain for hemp fiber in North Carolina, bringing together stakeholders from various professions.
Sharp's work has also resulted in significant industry funding. Through her efforts at The Textile Innovation Engine, she has procured over $435,000 in industry funding to support initiatives at NC State.
In a letter supporting Sharp's nomination for the Outstanding Extension Award, Andre West, ZTE director, wrote, "Melissa Sharp's work through ZTE is lauded for her intersections with companies and organizations across the textile industry."
The 10-year, $160 million funding stream through the National Science Foundation, spearheaded by Sharp, will help develop the textile industry's next-generation workforce in North Carolina. This funding will support research and development projects focused on sustainable textile innovation in North Carolina, under Sharp's guidance.
Recipients of NC State's Outstanding Extension Award, including Melissa Sharp, become nominees for induction into the Academy of Outstanding Faculty in Extension and Engagement. This recognition further underscores Sharp's significant contributions to the sustainable textile industry in North Carolina.
Sharp's previous awards include the Outstanding Extension Award in 2020 and 2013. Her work has addressed key issues such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and the circular economy. Under her leadership, The Textile Innovation Engine has developed new tools to accelerate the speed at which research develops into real-life concepts.
In summary, Melissa Sharp is leading the charge in advancing sustainable textile innovation in North Carolina. Through her research partnerships, development of regenerative textile materials, and promotion of circular economy models within the textile industry ecosystem, Sharp is making a significant impact on the industry's future.
- Melissa Sharp's research focuses on developing new bio-based polymers, processed into textile fibers, to enhance textile circularity and reduce environmental impact.
- The Textile Circularity Consortium, led by Sharp, connects various stakeholders in the textile industry to solve challenges in textile recycling and circularity.
- Sharp's work has also resulted in significant industry funding, with over $435,000 procured for initiatives at NC State.
- Sharp's efforts have extended beyond North Carolina's borders, fostering career development for over 1,000 students across northern Honduras through NC State's collaboration with a dozen companies.
- Sharp's future plans include developing the textile industry's next-generation workforce in North Carolina with a $160 million funding stream from the National Science Foundation, focusing on sustainable textile innovation under her guidance.
