2015

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T.W. Bennett Symposium

The School of Polymers and High Performance Materials

Hattiesburg, MSFriday, April 17, 2015

IN MEMORY OF THOMAS WARRING BENNETT JR.Major

22ND BOMB WING (TDY), 307TH STRAT

WING, SACUnited States Air Force22 December 1942 - 09

October 1980Natchez, MississippiPanel 01W Line 103

On 22 Dec 1972, during the "Christmas bombing" of North Vietnam, B-52D tail number 55-0061 was being flown by a crew from the 22nd Bomb Wing, attached to the 307th Strat Wing at U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand, and was targeted against the Bac Mai military storage area near Hanoi. Just short of the target, 55-0061 was attacked by a MiG and was separated from the other aircraft in its cell. While the MiG's missiles failed to hit the B-52, a surface-to-air SA-2 missile did hit in the central fuselage area. With both wings on fire and the pilot semiconscious, the copilot directed the crew to bail out. Six crewmen were aboard:• Capt Peter J. Giroux, Trumansburg, NY • Capt Thomas W. Bennett, Natchez, MS • Major Gerald W. Alley, Pocatello, ID • 1stLt Joseph B. Copack, Chicago, IL • Capt Peter P. Camerota, Gibbstown, NJ, • MSgt Louis E. LeBlanc, Providence, RI Captain Giroux amd MSgt LeBlanc were captured at once, while Captain Camerota successfully evaded for 12 days before surrendering to the North Vietnamese. These three came home three months later, but the returning POWs knew nothing of the other three. The remains of 1stLt Copack and Major Alley were repatriated on 15 Dec 1988, with positive identification announced on 27 June 1989. Captain Bennett was carried as Missing in Action until a Presumptive Finding of Death was approved on 09 Oct 1980; his remains have not been repatriated.

Session 1Moderator Kenneth Mauritz, Professor

Emeritus The University of Southern

Mississippi

12:50 pm Introductory Remarks, Patricia Biesiot Associate Dean, College of Science and Technology

12:55 pm Introductory Remarks, Gordon Cannon

Vice President for Research

1:00 pm Jeffrey Wiggins, Director of School of Polymers, The University of Southern Mississippi, “Next Generation Aerospace Composite Matrix Science”

1:30 pm Jimmy Mays, Professor and ORNL Distinguished Scientist, University of Tennessee, “New High Temperature Thermoplastic Elastomers Based on Poly(benzofulvene) Hard Blocks”

2:00 pm Andrew Magenau, Visiting Assistant Professor, The Pennsylvania State University “Electrochemical Synthesis of Genetically

Targetable Fluorescent Probes for Live-cell Imaging and Perturbation ”

Session 2Moderator Shelby F. Thames, Professor

Emeritus The University of Southern

Mississippi

3:00 pm Robert Moore, Professor, Physical and Polymer Chemistry Virginia Polytechnic University “Creation of Blocky Copolymers via Gel-State Functionalization of Semi-crystalline Polymers”

3:30 pm Charles McCormick, Professor of Polymer Science, The University of Southern Mississippi “Synthetic Milestones in the Development of Stimuli-responsive Architectures via Aqueous RAFT Polymerization”

4:00 pm Judit Puskas, Joseph M. Gingo Chair in Chemical Engineering, The University of Akron “Rubbery Biomaterials: The GE Healthymagination Breast Cancer Challenge”

4:30 pm Robson Storey, Bennett Distinguished Professor, The University of Southern Mississippi “Telechelic Polyisobutylenes by Direct Quenching of Living Polymerization”

5:15 pm Reception / PSRC Atrium

SCHEDULE

PAST AND PRESENT BENNETT PROFESSORS

2013-2015Robson StoreySchool of Polymers & High Performance Materials

2007-2009Vernon AsperMarine Science

2005-2007Sabine HeinhorstChemistry

2003-2005Roger HesterSchool of Polymers & High Performance Materials

2001-2003Steve RossBiology

1999-2001Gordon CannonVice President for Research

1997-1999Charles McCormickSchool of Polymers & High Performance Materials

1995-1997Frank MooreBiology

1993-1995Andy Griffin – Professor and Chair, School of Polymer, Textile and Fiber Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR QUESTIONSPlease contact:

Dr. Robson F. Storey

Bennett Distinguished Professor

The University of Southern Mississippi

School of Polymers & High Performance Materials

118 College Dr. Box 5050

Hattiesburg, MS 39406

601-266-4879