I don’t make the fabrics. I make them better and safer for people and the environment.
–Majid Sarmadi
As the Rothermel Bascom Professor in the School of Human Ecology, I direct the Textile Science specialization graduate degree in SoHE’s Design Studies program and engage graduate students in the Materials Science graduate program. My research and teaching areas include chemical properties and structures of textile fibers, plasma modifications of materials, recycling of polymeric materials, sustainability, textile flammability, wettability, dyeing, finishing, and identification of historic dyes.
I am the author or co-author of more than 75 scientific papers, and I hold three patents in the area of plasma processing of polymeric materials and plasma technology. I have consulted for textile and related industries, state procurement offices, and judicial systems on issues such as wettability, dyeability, flammability, and minimum specifications for carpet and other textile materials, including carpet specifications for the Los Angeles Community College District, which serves more than 220,000 students with a building budget of $5.7 billion. This work earned “best practices” recognition from professional publications. My Sustainable Carpet Project saved more than $40 million for the State of California on one contract alone and received 16 high-profile awards, including from the Governor of California, the Senate and Assembly of California, the Mayor of Los Angeles, and the U.S. Congress.
Education
PhD, Textile Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
MS, Textile Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
BS, Textile Engineering, Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science
Affiliations
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies