Packaging Engineering at Rutgers University received another major boost at a Nov. 7 fundraising event organized by the Rutgers Packaging Engineering Advisory Board (RPEAB). The second annual banquet drew 120 people including School of Engineering faculty, department chairs and students, as well as representatives of packaging companies that raised $150,000, a nearly 40 percent increase over last year's amount.
Contributions raised by the Advisory Board are earmarked for curriculum development, faculty recruitment, research and development, and student scholarships and internships. This year, for example, board member companies hired 12 students for summer internships and are planning for an additional 18 internships next year.
The RPEAB fundraiser included presentations by School of Engineering Dean Thomas N. Farris and Professor Hae Chang Gea, director of the Rutgers Packaging Engineering Program. Under Professor Gea's leadership, the program has grown from 32 students last year to more than 65 students this year. According to RPEAB chair and Topline Products president Charles Chang, Rutgers anticipates more than 100 students to study packaging next year. "The enthusiasm among students and faculty for packaging engineering is exceedingly high," remarks Chang.
Chang also pointed out that the Advisory Board has set up a task force to create the Rutgers Research Center for Packaging Sustainability. Its focus will be on Business, Environment, Society and Technology (BEST). "Rutgers brings the "technology" part to the sustainability arena," notes Chang. "We have the entire School of Engineering and Food Science as our resources. We plan to conduct many research projects with the industry to create a better environment for tomorrow."
The fundraising event achieved and surpassed its fundraising goal with the help of many industry sponsors including L'Oréal, Bayer HealthCare, Topline Products, Coty, Gurwitch and Mally. L'Oréal contributed $50,000 toward the renovation of the Packaging Laboratory at Rutgers. The laboratory will be a critical part of the Rutgers Research Center for Packaging Sustainability.
