News Items - International Association of Packaging Research Institutes
MSU’s renovated SoP has official opening

The newly renovated School of Packaging (SoP) at Michigan State University (MSU) had its official opening on April 20, after a fundraising campaign generated more than $10 million for the project.

“The remodel was designed with collaboration in mind, not only for our students, but with industry and non-governmental organizations,” said SoP director Matthew Daum.
 
According to MSU, the renovation will help to modernize teaching and learning by adding flexible classrooms with “seamlessly integrated” technology, as well as collaboration-friendly spaces. The university also believes the improvements will help to attract the best-qualified faculty by providing the space and tools to conduct world-class research.
 
“The significant expansion of our facilities, enabled by the generosity of donors and stakeholders, will reinforce MSU’s longstanding leadership in packaging education,” said MSU Interim President Teresa K Woodruff.
 

Over $10M has been committed, including lead gifts from Amcor, Charles and Jackie Frasier and Ring Container Technologies.
 
As a part of its partnership with MSU, Amcor has established the Amcor Endowed Chair in Packaging Sustainability, a position taken up by Rafael Auras. The Frasiers have given their names to both the atrium, at the entrance, and to a lab, as well as committing to an endowed professorship. Ring Container supported renovation of the main corridor, which has been renamed (and re-imagined) as the Ring Container Technologies Innovation Hall.
 
Gifts-in-kind have included a custom-built, multi-axis vibration test system from IMV America and test and measurement technologies from Lansmont Corporation, part of the Physical Properties Testers (PPT) Group (see last month’s news story). Among Lansmont’s donations will be a TruMotion Acceleration Sled system, an updated data acquisition system, a vibration table controller and software, a shock table and controller, as well as next-generation SAVER data loggers.
 
In addition, Specright has donated new systems to the Specright Computer Lab, and also provided the Specright Specification Management software platform. Additionally, the company is extending its partnership to help develop a short course for packaging industry professionals on specification data, analytics and tools.
 
First established in 1952, the SoP was last upgraded in 1986. It is the largest packaging program in the US, with over 600 undergraduate and graduate students.
 

Published: 04/28/23