T.W. Bennett Research Symposium Set for April 24 at Southern Miss Hattiesburg Campus

Mon, 04/14/2025 - 01:12pm | By: Dr. David Tisdale

The 2025 T.W. Bennett Symposium, set for April 24 at The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Trent Lott National Center on the Hattiesburg campus, will highlight the societal benefits of scientific research in higher education at the state, national and global levels. The event will focus on cross-disciplinary collaborations and partnerships with the private sector.

This year’s symposium, themed “Fundamental Research with a Purpose,” will feature distinguished speakers from academia, industry and national laboratories. Dr. Jeffrey Wiggins, polymer science and engineering professor at Southern Miss and the 2023-25 Bennett Distinguished Professor, will serve as keynote speaker.

Wiggins’ research interests include glassy polymer network science, renewable resource polymers, carbon fiber precursor polymers, polymer molecular dynamics simulation, continuous polymerization reactors, and polymers designed for soldier and athlete protection.

Before transitioning to academia, Wiggins held management positions in polymer research, product development, engineering, and manufacturing at Bayer Corporation and Nike Inc.

In keeping with the symposium’s theme, Wiggins hopes the event will help advance what he sees as a plethora of ways Southern Miss–through its polymer, computer, and ocean science engineering programs, as well as disciplines within the College of Business and Economic Development–can positively impact quality of life in Mississippi and beyond through its research enterprise.

“It’s an honor to be the Bennett Professor and to use it as a platform­–not only in my work but also through the symposium–to understand how we can further create value for the university’s research initiatives in cooperation with business for the betterment of society,” Wiggins said. “I believe making sure its [academic-level research] value is recognized through economic development in Mississippi and how it can play a vital role in supporting small companies’ ability to spur job growth, meet production and service goals, and help our society prosper.”

The symposium is made possible through the T.W. Bennett Endowment, established at USM by Mr. and Mrs. T.W. Bennett Sr., in honor of their son, Thomas Waring Bennett Jr., and his passion for the sciences. He was declared missing in action on Dec. 22, 1972, while serving in the United States Air Force.

A complete schedule and additional details about the event are available on the symposium’s website.