Prestigious Waterborne Symposium Set for Feb. 4-9 in New Orleans
Fri, 01/26/2024 - 11:14am | By: Van Arnold
Professionals from the paint and coatings industry will convene again to glean information and share ideas during the 51st annual International Waterborne, High-Solids and Powder Coatings Symposium Feb. 4-9 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in New Orleans.
The Waterborne Symposium, sponsored by the School of Polymer Science and Engineering (SPSE) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), is a technical forum for environmentally friendly coatings technologies. Proceeds from the symposium are used by USM for various elements of academic program development including junior faculty development, graduate student stipends, equipment acquisition and maintenance, and especially scholarships for undergraduate students majoring in polymer science.
Melanie Bryan, SPSE Manager of Finance and External Relations, notes that the symposium’s significance to the school cannot be overstated.
“This event means a great deal to the School of Polymer Science and Engineering. The Waterborne Symposium is non-profit, and all of the proceeds go back into our department.” said Bryan. “The symposium was founded 51 years ago by Dr. Shelby Thames because he saw the need for a polymer science program at USM but had no way to fund the program and bring in students and faculty. Since then, we have exploded into a vibrant and bustling school full of brilliant students and faculty members.”
Spanning five days, the event unites coatings experts, chemists, industry leaders, business owners, suppliers, students, and educators, fostering networking and the exchange of cutting-edge research and technology within the field of paints and coatings. The Symposium delivers educational and technical presentations, deepening our understanding of coating theory, science, production, and marketing, pushing the boundaries of coating performance beyond conventional expectations.
As a bonus, the prestigious symposium coincides with Mardi Gras season in New Orleans, which has hosted the event every year since its inception.
“After the symposium founders held the first Waterborne conference in New Orleans in August of 1973, they decided that while they loved hosting in New Orleans, they were going to switch to the spring to incorporate the Mardi Gras festivities into our symposium, a tradition that most attendees have come to love,” said Bryan.
The Waterborne Symposium covers all aspects of the paint and coatings industry – not just Waterborne coatings. Organizers strive to present the latest advances and innovations in the paint and coatings industry. Each year the event features a full program of speakers in various categories.
“One of the things that helps Waterborne stand out is that we require all of our speakers to submit a written paper, which is then compiled into our annual proceedings’ books,” said Bryan. “Because of our affiliation with USM, we have a student day each week where we bring down students to present their posters in the Evonik Student Poster Competition, and for the last three years our graduate students have been participating in our annual ‘Lightning Round,’ which is a five-minute presentation of their work.”
Approximately 250 attendees are expected for this year’s symposium. To learn more, call 601.266.4475.