CenTiRe Honors Eric Pierce of Smithers as the 2025 Industry Mentor of the Year
CenTiRe is proud to announce Eric Pierce of Smithers as the recipient of our 2025 Industry Mentor of the Year Award. Now in its fourth year, this recognition celebrates exemplary industry mentors whose engagement, expertise, and collaboration significantly elevate CenTiRe’s research efforts.
This award acknowledges individuals who provide exceptional contributions and support to active research projects, including expert guidance, interpretation of experimental results, and meaningful direction that strengthens project outcomes. Nominations were submitted by researchers from current projects, recently completed projects, and those in no-cost extension status—highlighting the broad and sustained impact Eric has had across the center.
Eric’s contributions this year stood out not only for their technical depth, but also for the clarity, consistency, and real-world context he provided to our research teams. One group of researchers he supported shared the following testimonial:
“His contributions were pivotal to our project’s success. He supplied essential snow–tire traction data that enabled accurate CAD generation and FEM model validation. His expert guidance improved simulation accuracy and ensured our models reflected real-world performance, ultimately strengthening the rigor and relevance of our research.”
Eric’s engagement exemplifies the partnership-driven model that allows university researchers and industry experts to co-create impactful, application-ready innovations. His commitment to mentorship reflects the best of CenTiRe’s collaborative mission.
CenTiRe Honors 2024 Industry Mentor-of-the-Year Recipient Jan Terziyski of Nexen Tire
Recognizing excellence in mentorship means honoring those who lead by example, sharing not only technical expertise but also the values that define strong engineering leadership. Jan Terziyski, of Nexen Tire, has been named CenTiRe’s 2024 Industry Mentor of the Year in recognition of his exceptional commitment to developing the next generation of engineers and researchers. His dedication to collaboration, learning, and innovation has left a lasting mark on the CenTiRe community.
Jan’s approach to mentorship blends hands-on technical guidance with genuine personal support. Through his involvement in CenTiRe’s research programs, he has played a vital role in helping students and early-career professionals connect classroom theory with real-world application. His ability to translate complex ideas into practical insight has empowered many young engineers to grow in both confidence and capability.
Within Nexen Tire and beyond, Jan is widely respected for his leadership and his passion for advancing tire technology through partnership and knowledge sharing. His influence extends across CenTiRe’s academic and industry network, reflecting the spirit of collaboration that drives innovation forward.
CenTiRe proudly celebrates Jan Terziyski for his outstanding mentorship, leadership, and lasting contributions to the tire research community. His recognition as the 2024 Industry Mentor of the Year underscores the impact one dedicated mentor can have in shaping both people and progress.
Celebrating Janice Tardiff: CenTiRe’s 2023 Mentor of the Year
In the world of research mentorship, individuals who selflessly dedicate their time, wisdom, and energy to help shape the next generation of talent are often unsung heroes. We have the immense pleasure of celebrating one such individual whose outstanding contributions have not gone unnoticed. Janice Tardiff, of Ford Motor Company, has been honored with the prestigious CenTiRe Mentor of the Year award for 2023. Her commitment to guiding and nurturing emerging engineering talent within CenTiRe has truly set her apart.
Mentorship, in its truest form, is about more than just providing guidance. It's about being a source of support, a listening ear, and a trusted advisor. Janice has demonstrated these qualities throughout her years of CenTiRe participation, going above and beyond to help student researchers navigate the complexities of the automotive and tire industries. Her dedication to fostering the professional and personal growth of others is a testament to her character.
Janice is also a past Chair of CenTiRes’ Industry Advisory Board, where her leadership was instrumental in guiding our center through the transition to Phase 3 of our NSF IUCRC grant, which secured administrative funding for an additional 5 years. As IAB Chair, she was also a strong voice in making sure the industry needs were met during her tenure. She joins Dr. Toshio Tada, our inaugural Mentor of the Year in 2022, in this prestigious recognition.
In conclusion, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Janice Tardiff on her well-deserved CenTiRe Mentor of the Year award. Her dedication to mentorship and her invaluable contributions an inspiration to us all.
CenTiRe Awards 2022 Industry Mentor of the Year
The CenTiRe team is proud to bestow the 2022 Industry Mentor of the Year award to Dr. Toshio Tada of the Sumitomo Rubber and Tire Company. The nominations for this award were submitted by the Principle Investigators and academic researchers with a project concluding in 2022. They were asked to identify the industry mentor(s) who most influenced the direction of their research by providing significant expertise and support. While many industry mentor nominations were received, Dr. Tadas' efforts were recognized by many of our researchers for sharing his expertise in the materials field and providing samples for research testing. This is the first Industry Mentor of the Year award issued by the CenTiRe team and we plan to further recognize our invaluable industry mentors by presenting this award yearly.
