Posted on 6-17-2013
Over the past year, the Mississippi Polymer Institute has worked to achieve accreditation through the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) by transforming its laboratories into ISO/IEC 17025 compliant spaces. Laboratory accreditation is based on internationally accepted criteria for competence and has been awarded to MPI based on an independent, third-party audit of its quality system. Robert Thompson, operations leader, and Sara Bayley, testing services and quality leader at MPI, lead the development and implementation of a quality system meeting the necessary requirements of the standard. This accreditation applies directly to those organizations that provide technical services, such as physical and analytical testing, which MPI specializes in. This accreditation is important to many industrial clients in that it provides assurance that the testing equipment, facilities, methods, and personnel perform the tests covered by the Scope of Services. MPI is the only mechanical testing lab in Mississippi and one of only a few mechanical testing labs that are fully available for commercial services in the entire Southeastern United States with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation through A2LA. MPI’s quality system and accreditation continue to position MPI for growth as an elite-testing lab and technical service provider. Article
Posted on 6-4-2013
Dr. Sumesh Arora, vice president of Innovate Mississippi and director of Strategic Biomass Solutions, has joined the adjunct faculty at the University of Southern Mississippi. This past spring semester, Dr. Arora taught the Technology-Based Entrepreneurship in Economic Development class for the Department of Economic Development. Tony Jeff, president and CEO of Innovate Mississippi; Dr. Jay Tice, director of InnovateMEP Mississippi; and Bubba Weir, vice president for innovation resources development of Innovate Mississippi, served as guest speakers, along with faculty and staff from the Mississippi Polymer Institute and the USM Department of Polymer Science. Dr. Arora's curriculum included hands-on, technology-based entrepreneurship experiences, which he achieved by pairing his students with entrepreneurs currently under the guidance of Innovate Mississippi's entrepreneurial development team.
Posted on 6-3-2013
MPI will be attending the Mississippi Picnic in Central Park in New York this week, June 8! This annual event will bring together some of the best of what Mississippi has to offer, including outstanding music, inspiring art, delicious food and, of course, a healthy dose of southern hospitality. The theme for this year's picnic is Mississippi Legends and Trails and will recognize Mississippi's own Jimmie Rodgers as the Father of Country Music. You will enjoy the performances of Britt Gully, a Jimmie Rodgers tribute artist, Liz Davis, Mississippi's country singer finalist in The Voice, and others. MS Picnic Website
