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News

Glenn Beall: A Legacy of Innovation in Plastics Design

We are saddened to share that Glenn Beall, a revered and beloved figure in the plastics industry, passed away on July 24th. Glenn was more than an engineer, inventor, educator, and entrepreneur—he was a mentor, a friend, and an inspiration to generations of plastics professionals. His legacy spans over six decades and touches every corner of our field.

After earning his engineering degree from Bradley University in 1957, Glenn began his career at Abbott Laboratories, where his innovative work in drug delivery systems earned him 12 patents. His passion for design and materials led him to found Glenn Beall Engineering, Inc. and later Glenn Beall Plastics, Ltd., adding 23 more patents to his name and influencing product design for decades to come.

Glenn had an unmatched gift for teaching. Through more than 650 seminars, he shared his deep knowledge with nearly 30,000 professionals, helping countless individuals grow in their careers. His seminars weren’t just technical—they were inspiring, practical, and filled with stories that made complex ideas feel approachable.

A lifelong and deeply engaged member of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), Glenn held numerous leadership roles and played a significant role in shaping the organization’s mission, including the founding of the Medical Plastics Division in 1982. We were honored to celebrate his career at the 2024 Glenn Beall Symposium at ANTEC®, where he spoke and inspired us once again.

His fingerprints are everywhere—from the Plastics Design Forum to the advancement of rotational molding, from SPE leadership to preserving our industry’s history through the Plastics Pioneers Association and the Syracuse University Plastics Collection.

We have fond memories of Glenn—not just as a giant in our field, but as a generous, kind, and thoughtful human being. His legacy of innovation and mentorship will continue to guide us for years to come.

To make a donation in Glenn’s memory to the Patsy and Glenn Beall scholarship.  Link here

He will be deeply missed.

Also see Plastics Trailblazer Glenn Beall Passes Away

A few of our favorite moments

Glenn Beall 2024

SPE – Happy Hour Speaker Series: Thermoplastic Hydrogel-Elastomer Composites Through Compatibilization with Common Copolymer End-Blocks

Thermoplastic Hydrogel-Elastomer Composites Through Compatibilization
with Common Copolymer End-Blocks

Medical Plastics Division – Happy Hour Speaker Series 🍹
Featuring: Dr. William Boston Morris

newly granted PhD of Material Science & Engineering from Colorado State University

Title: “Thermoplastic Hydrogel-Elastomer Composites Through Compatibilization with Common Copolymer End-Blocks”

Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 6:00p – 7:00p Eastern / 3-4pm Pacific

Agenda:

6:00 Welcome / Introductions / Review Session Format

6:05 Introduce our featured speaker, Will Boston Morris

6:30 Begin Q&A & continue “Happy Hour” discussion

7:00 Wrap up and Thanks to all for participating, especially Will aka “Boston”!

Abstract: The development of immiscible polymer-polymer composites that unify disparate material properties into a single bulk material has long been hindered by challenges in stabilizing incompatible polymer domains against macrophase separation while achieving sufficient interfacial adhesion for efficient mechanical load transfer. This work introduces a new class of polymer-polymer composites designed to address these challenges based on forming composites between styrenic block copolymer (SBC) thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) containing immiscible copolymer midblocks with distinct material properties.

Leveraging the inherent microphase separation behavior of ABA block copolymer systems, which are widely used in TPEs to generate reversible physical crosslinking, this work establishes a simple, scalable, and tunable method for fabricating tough, durable, and intrinsically lubricious hydrogel–elastomer composites. By combining TPE materials that share common vitreous polystyrene end blocks, each component forms its own phase-separated elastomeric network while simultaneously experiencing enhanced interfacial adhesion. Continuous vitreous polystyrene domains formed at the component interfaces stabilize the blend morphology and enable mechanical load transfer between phases. Adjusting the compositional ratios and specific TPEs selected, allows this composite platform to be tailored to meet a diverse range of performance specifications pertinent in medical devices, soft electronics, and membrane technologies.

The thermoplastic hydrogel–elastomer composites developed in this work specifically address the persistent need for intrinsically lubricious, low-friction elastomers and silicones. Traditional elastomers, while flexible and durable, often suffer from tacky surfaces that require secondary lubricious treatments for medical device applications. Conversely, hydrogels offer excellent lubricity and poroelastic relaxation but typically lack scalable methods for introducing the needed mechanical strength and toughness. By integrating an SBC thermoplastic hydrogel phase into commercial SBC TPEs, this work demonstrates the creation of versatile hydrogel composites featuring hydrophilic lubricious surfaces and outstanding mechanical durability while remaining thermally processable using standard processing techniques such as injection molding and extrusion.

Bio: Dr. William Boston Morris recently completed his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Colorado State University following a bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering. His doctoral research developed thermoplastic elastomer-hydrogel composites, a promising new medical plastic designed to provide hydrophilic low-friction intrinsically to styrenic TPEs, such as SEBS, for medical devices like catheters and soft tissue mimics. William has experience working with Gelastomerics, a startup commercializing this technology, and managed a materials testing lab at CSU, where he trained and mentored students. He is currently seeking industry opportunities to apply his materials science expertise.


Call for Posters for MD&M Midwest 2025 – Medical Polymers Conference

call for papers

Are you working on a project related to medical polymer science, polymer engineering, or medical innovation?

We invite you to share your research with industry leaders by participating in the SPE Poster Session at our upcoming industry event!  We welcome students from the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area to present their posters at this special event, to be held in person on October 21, 2025 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

This is a fantastic opportunity to:

  • Present your work to academics and professionals
  • Gain visibility and recognition within the medical polymer and medical device community
  • Build your network and explore career opportunities

We are pleased to offer complimentary registration and a monetary stipend to students presenting posters, to support their participation. We encourage two presenters per poster, and both co-authors should be included in the online input form. A Best Poster Award will be presented. Poster size should be 3’ x 4’.

Submit your poster abstract today and take part in one of the most exciting technical showcases for emerging talent.

DEADLINE September 15, 2025

Topics include the following:

1. Advanced Medical Polymers

  • Smart, self-healing, bioinspired, and antimicrobial medical plastics
  • Material biocompatibility
  • Materials & technologies critical for next generation medicines & therapeutic delivery systems

2. Next-Generation Medical Devices & Therapeutic Delivery

  • Next generation medical devices and therapeutic delivery systems
  • Personalization in materials, manufacturing, devices, and measurements
  • Development of hybrid devices to reduce single-use plastic waste and OEM end-of-life responsibilities

3. Manufacturing Innovations & Process Control

  • Additive manufacturing in medical devices (3D and “4D” printing)
  • Innovations in polymer processing and device manufacturing
  • AI and machine learning-driven tools for medical plastics manufacturing

4. Regulatory Compliance & Testing

  • Testing and validation of medical plastics (evolving standards and regulations: ISO 10993 updates, MDR, PFAS)
  • Interactions between medical plastics and sterilization methods (e.g., ethylene oxide limitations)

5. Sustainability & Lifecycle Considerations

  • Sustainability in healthcare materials and manufacturing
  • Design considerations for balancing safety, convenience, and lifecycle impact

If you have any questions or need guidance, feel free to reach out. We’re here to support your success!

Download poster for posting on a bulletin board.


Medical Polymers – Call for Speakers 2025-2026

Medical Polymers Innovations, Challenges, and Opportunities

ANNUAL CALL FOR SPEAKERS

DEADLINE September 15, 2025

SPE’s Medical Plastics Division (MPD) is currently seeking submission of titles and abstracts for technical presentations for its 2025-2026 conference programing. Presentations are eligible for acceptance at one of the following technical sessions:

  • MD&M MidWest MiniTec – Minneapolis, MN · October 21, 2025 – CLOSED
  • MD&M West MiniTec – Anaheim, CA · February 2-3, 2026
  • SPE ANTEC®, March 2-5, 2026 (location and date TBD)

Topics are interest include the following:

1. Advanced Medical Polymers

  • Smart, self-healing, bioinspired, and antimicrobial medical plastics
  • Material biocompatibility
  • Materials & technologies critical for next generation medicines & therapeutic delivery systems

2. Next-Generation Medical Devices & Therapeutic Delivery

  • Next generation medical devices and therapeutic delivery systems
  • Personalization in materials, manufacturing, devices, and measurements
  • Development of hybrid devices to reduce single-use plastic waste and OEM end-of-life responsibilities

3. Manufacturing Innovations & Process Control

  • Additive manufacturing in medical devices (3D and “4D” printing)
  • Innovations in polymer processing and device manufacturing
  • AI and machine learning-driven tools for medical plastics manufacturing

4. Regulatory Compliance & Testing

  • Testing and validation of medical plastics (evolving standards and regulations: ISO 10993 updates, MDR, PFAS)
  • Interactions between medical plastics and sterilization methods (e.g., ethylene oxide limitations)

5. Sustainability & Lifecycle Considerations

  • Sustainability in healthcare materials and manufacturing
  • Design considerations for balancing safety, convenience, and lifecycle impact

Presentation Submission Next Steps

We are seeking early submissions  by September 15, 2025. Please complete the information on the conference link below.

MPD Speaker Requirements for Selected Speakers

  • Submit proposed title & abstract by September 15, 2025. Your proposal will be reviewed and you will receive an email from the MPD Technical Programming Committee.
  • Accepted topics: submit a high resolution color headshot – 2 weeks after acceptance as speaker.
  • Submit your PowerPoint presentation for committee review no later than:
    • MD&M Minneapolis MiniTec – Minneapolis, MN | September 1, 2025
    • MD&M West MiniTec – Anaheim, CA | November 1, 2025
    • SPE ANTEC® | December 1, 2026
  • Participants will attend the on-site event
  • Consent to conference partner speaker agreement and distribution of a PDF version of your presentation to conference attendees

For additional information, please contact us.


2024 – Thank You to Our Sponsors

We extend our heartfelt thanks to this year’s MiniTec sponsors.

Their sponsorship enabled us to bring together professionals, students, and thought leaders from across the medical polymer community for a day of knowledge sharing, technical insights, and meaningful connections. Their partnership is instrumental in advancing our mission to serve as the leading platform for scientific and engineering exchange in the medical polymer field.

Thank You to Our Sponsors