TEXTILES.ORG
Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) has announced that Eric Evans, Ph.D., has been appointed as the new chair of the AFFOA Board of Directors.
Evans has served as the director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory for 18 years, from 2006–2024, where he led advances across many national security mission areas. Currently, he is a professor of practice and senior fellow at the MIT campus.
“We are honored to welcome Dr. Evans as our new chair,” says Dr. Sasha Stolyarov, CEO of AFFOA. “His extensive expertise in defense innovation and his commitment to fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and government will be invaluable as we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in functional fabrics technology and manufacturing.”
As chair of AFFOA, Evans will help lead the organization in its mission to accelerate the development and commercialization of advanced textile technologies that integrate electronics, sensors and other advanced technologies.. Under his guidance, AFFOA aims to enhance the capabilities of the U.S. workforce and drive economic growth through innovation in textile technology and advanced manufacturing processes.
“I am honored to take on this role at such a pivotal time for AFFOA,” says Evans. “I look forward to working with the very talented team at AFFOA to create new textile and technology capabilities for both defense and civilian applications.”
Evans has received two Distinguished Public Service Medals from the Secretary of Defense for his leadership of MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the Defense Science Board. He is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a member of the National Academy of Engineering.