It’s hard to know where to start when introducing Charles Freeman, professor and department chair of fashion merchandising for Texas Christian University’s College of Fine Arts.

Do you lead with NASA? Or the Department of War?

That previous paragraph probably needs a little explaining. Freeman also serves as the associate dean of research and creative scholarship initiatives in the college. So how does he have TCU undergraduate students designing seams for space suits? And have the university pursuing research in partnership with the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) for the Department of War and Department of Labor?

“They never see us coming,” Freeman likes to joke when he tells this story, but it really should not be much of a surprise.

TCU’s College of Fine Arts has long been a beacon of excellence for the university. Adding a research focus has only extended that excellence, with TCU emerging as a national leader in the convergence of advanced textiles, soft-goods engineering, wearable systems, athletic engineering and creative industry commercialization.

Under the leadership of Freeman and Amy Hardison Tully, Teresa Ann Carter King Dean of the College of Fine Arts, and through partnership with AFFOA, TCU has launched the Texas Advanced Certificate in Textiles for Innovation and Composites (TACTIC) with AFFOA.

Next-Generation Manufacturing
That’s a mouthful, but simply put, it’s a new workforce development initiative that is designed to prepare students and workers for careers in advanced textiles, soft goods engineering and next-generation manufacturing. It is an industry-aligned credentialing framework that enables rapid skill acquisition and direct pathways for workers who may not initially enroll in degree programs but who can transition into academic credentials over time.

“This goes beyond research,” said Reuben F. Burch V, TCU’s vice provost for research. “This underlines TCU’s commitment to community engagement. The work of Dr. Freeman, Dean Tully, and the College of Fine Arts is a reminder that TCU is not simply a research partner but —  as the “University of Fort Worth” —  a fully integrated innovation district capable of supporting pilot production, workforce scaling and commercialization pathways.”

Equipping the Next Generation of Workers
This partnership around important national workforce goals brought senior leadership from AFFOA to campus recently.

“Texas is a critical region for U.S. manufacturing, especially in textiles and advanced materials. The TACTIC program at TCU will significantly impact the area by equipping the next generation of workers with the skills and education needed to build successful careers in manufacturing," said Sasha Stolyarov, CEO of AFFOA. "We look forward to ongoing collaboration with TCU and to addressing the industry's pressing gaps to strengthen American manufacturing resiliency."

A Workforce Training Agenda with Impact
AFFOA originally planned to partner with another university, but Freeman and TCU’s ability to be nimble and move quickly brought them to Fort Worth — and with them came many new opportunities. Their interest reflects growing recognition that North Texas has the industrial depth, talent pipelines and research capacity to become a critical node in the national advanced materials workforce strategy, with TCU serving as a key driver of this innovation.

In partnership with AFFOA and Tarrant County College, TCU is building an impactful workforce training agenda as well as testing and standards programs.

“What I love about this partnership is not only what it makes possible for our students but for our community,” Freeman said. “Being an engaged partner with the city and the region is important to TCU, and this partnership will be really impactful for Fort Worth and beyond.”

-Jen Floyd Engel