Spring Technical Meeting – 2026
April 28 @ 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
$35
Agenda:
5:00 – Registration, Bar Opens, Buffet Dinner Opens
5:30 – Technical Presentations
7:00 – Open Networking
This event will be held at Missing Falls Brewery, 540 S. Main St., Akron.
Advanced Reservations: $35 each
***Without prior reservation: $40 each (limited number). We highly encourage you to pay in advance for this meeting, due to the setup, which is one large room. “Pay at the Door” will only be available until 5:30 pm because the Technical Presentations start at that time.
Reduced Fee for Students! Student dinner tickets are only $5.
Email reservations to Denise Kotz at denisekotz@strategicrealm.consulting OR mail to Ohio Rubber Group, PO Box 553, Hudson, OH 44236.
Need to Renew your Membership?? Complete the Membership Form and pay for both at same time!
Pay in Advance is the Preferred Method for payment. Avoid lines at the meeting!
We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with web payments.
Please send an email to Denise Kotz, and she will send you an invoice to pay in advance for dinner tickets and/or Membership. Be sure to mention in your email if you want to add membership dues to your invoice.
Parking is available in the large lot in back.
****Please turn off cell phones during the presentations****
Technical Presentations:
“Flexoelectricity in Polyelectrolyte Elastomers as Sensors and Energy Harvesters”
Mehdi Sahami, PhD student and Scholarship Winner, The University of Akron
This work focuses on a class of elastomeric materials capable of generating electrical signals under non-uniform mechanical deformation. In other words, these materials can convert mechanical deformation into electrical output, making them promising candidates for sensing and energy harvesting applications.
“From Lab to Road: Testing Rubber for Real-World Performance”
Paul Merda, Education Coordinator/Technical Advisor, ARDL
This presentation explores how laboratory testing methods are used to evaluate and predict the real-world performance of rubber components in applications such as windshield wipers, tires, and engine mounts.