January 2025 - The Tribology of Footwear

Perfecting Motion®

In this month’s episode we sit down with Melissa Mushrush of MOLYKOTE Specialty Lubricants and Kathy Helmetag of Henkel North American Operations. Together, they explore the fascinating role of tribology in footwear. From icy sidewalks to slick dance floors, we uncover how tread design, materials, and surface conditions influence friction between our shoes and the ground. Learn why snow boots grip where high heels slip, how polyurethane soles might hydroplane, and what makes basketball games so squeaky. We’ll even dive into the science behind ice skating and dancers’ controlled friction, plus the surprising tribological tricks animals use to navigate their environments. Whether you're a footwear or tribological enthusiast, this episode will give you a new appreciation for the science beneath your feet.
Our Guests:
Melissa Mushrush has been a chemist for the MOLYKOTE® Specialty Lubricants brand since 2017, specializing in anti-friction coatings to improve friction and wear performance. She brings expertise in vacuum technology, thin-film deposition, material characterization, process data management, and accelerated testing methods. During her 14 years at The Dow Chemical Company, Melissa worked on diverse projects, including polymer light-emitting diodes and thin-film solar technology. She played a key role in establishing Dow’s solar expertise, collaborating with institutions like NREL and the University of Delaware. Melissa’s career reflects a strong focus on innovative materials research and practical industrial applications.
Katherine Helmetag is an organometallic chemist with BS and MS degrees from Drexel University. She has been working in tribology since the start of her career and has focused on lubricant design for all types of metalworking operations. Katherine’s current role as a process engineering manager for Henkel NA Operations has her focused on operation excellence in the chemical manufacturing industry. She mentors Team#2960 of FIRST Robotics as the materials lead and volunteers with Scouting America as a Unit Commissioner and Merit Badge Counselor, and enjoys instructing HPDE events around Michigan.

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