Smithers' Matt Kent a panelist at Tire Society Conference

AKRON—Smithers Tire and Wheel Test Center Technical Director Matt Kent, who has more than two decades of tire testing experience in a range of methods, will speak at the 41st Tire Society Annual Conference, set for Sept. 12-13.

With the theme "New Horizons in Tire Evaluation," the technical conference is being conducted in a hybrid format, in-person at the University of Akron Jean Hower Taber Student Union Ball Room and online.

Kent is set to be part of a panel discussion on "The Future of Tire Testing" and is expected to be joined by industry colleagues from fka GmbH, GCAPS and Calspan.

The panel will be moderated by Heather Bobbit from General Motors. It is scheduled for Sept. 13 at 12:45 p.m. Eastern.

"The Tire Society Conference brings together some of the best minds in our industry, from engineers and scientists to policymakers and advocates, to explore and discuss the latest innovations in tire technology," said Jim Popio, vice president, Smithers Materials Science and Engineering Division. "Matt has played a pivotal role in the evolution of tire testing technology over the past 20 years of his career, and his insights on this panel will be valuable to anyone looking to learn what the next generation of tire innovations may bring."

 Specifically, Kent has worked in MTS Flat Tracs, acoustic, laser measurement, uniformity, spring rate and high- and low-speed durability testing.

Like the overlapping Sept. 13-15 International Tire Exhibition and Conference organized by Rubber News, Smithers is a sponsor of the Tire Society Conference.

Those interested in attending the conference can register here.

For more information about Smithers, visit www.smithers.com.

The Tire Society is a renowned scientific professional organization for the tire industry, welcoming engineers, chemists, authors and scientists to its ranks.

This annual conference is a forum for these professionals, as well as policymakers, students and advocates to learn about innovations that will drive the tire industry in the years ahead.

The Tire Society publishes The Tire Science and Technology Journal quarterly, a journal that is considered the lead scientific benchmarking tool for the industry.