Research Grant Program

"We're proud to support the next generation of packaging leaders," said ISTAEF Vice President & Secretary Brian O‘Banion. "We look forward to hearing from the awardees at the annual ISTA Forum USA event and are excited to support young talent and new research in our field." 

Previous Award Recipients

Evaluating Sustainable Materials for Transport of Live Ornamental Fish in Insulated Shipping Containers: This study aims to evaluate alternative materials to EPS for the distribution and transport of ornamental fish, ensuring the ability of the industry to comply with existing and future restrictions while maintaining the standards of current shipping practices.

William Pelletier, Instructional Associate Professor at University of Florida

Development and Evaluation of a Simplified Multi-axis Vibration Test Apparatus: This project aims to develop a simplified, cost-effective 2-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) vibration test apparatus that induces rotational motion while mounted on a standard vertical-only Lansmont vibration table. The system will use a pivot-spine structure with elastomeric or spring components of varying stiffness (k) to enable off-vertical axis movement. The research will assess the apparatus’s ability to simulate transport-induced motions using both field and lab evaluations.

Students: Ian Skinner; Luke Ross; Joe Byrnes; Derek Moelbet 
Kyle Dunno, Department Chair and Associate Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology

Enhancing Sentiment Analysis and Deep Learning for Packaging Damage Detection in Distribution: This project seeks to bridge the gap between consumer insights and packaging innovation. The enhanced  AI  framework  will  provide  more  precise  identification  of  packaging  failure  points  related  to distribution,  a  deeper  understanding  of  consumer  interactions  with  packaging,  a  refined  sentiment analysis  model  capable  of  detecting  nuanced  consumer  emotions,  and  a  scalable  AI  approach  that integrates text and image-based data for a holistic evaluation of packaging performance.  The project builds upon the 2024 Forum presentation but introduces significant advancements. While the earlier work focused primarily on sentiment analysis of Amazon reviews to highlight packaging issues, this new phase incorporates deep learning for image-based damage detection and emotion-aware sentiment analysis. These enhancements will allow for a more robust, multi-dimensional evaluation of packaging performance during distribution, using both text and image data from consumer feedback. 

Euihark Lee, PhD. Assistant Professor at Michigan State University

Supporting the Next Wave of Packaging Industry Leaders!

ISTAEF 'Students to Leaders' Fundraiser Dinner: Tacos, Connections & A Great Cause
Date: Tuesday, April 7
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (grab dinner after the ISTA Forum Welcome Reception)
Location: Carcara Citrus Grove Patio, Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel
Address: 320 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Registration Fee: $150

The ISTA Educational Foundation (ISTAEF) invites you to the Students to Leaders Fundraiser Dinner at the Carcara Citrus Grove Patio—right after the ISTA Forum USA Welcome Reception.

Enjoy tacos, beer, and good company in a beautiful outdoor setting while supporting scholarships and research for future packaging leaders. Let's make a difference together:

• Network with industry professionals, educators, and students
• Reconnect with colleagues and friends
• Support the next generation of packaging leaders
  

Registration Options:

• Fundraiser Only: Attend the dinner without registering for the ISTA Forum
• ISTA Forum + Fundraiser: Combine both experiences

Sponsor the ISTA Fundraiser Dinner–Make a Bigger Impact!

Helping ISTAEF cover the costs of the dinner allows the Foundation to focus more funds on our commitment to undergraduate research grants, offering innovative opportunities for budding researchers to explore and pioneer in our field.

Become a Sponsor Today!

Plus, you’ll enjoy exclusive benefits:

• Brand Visibility: Your logo featured on event marketing, social media, press releases, and on-site signage.
• Networking Access: 4 complimentary dinner registrations for your team or guests. Bring colleagues, guests, customers, or anyone of your choosing to engage with a diverse audience comprising students, educators, industry professionals, thought leaders, and community stakeholders.
  
• Support for Undergraduate Research Grants: Your sponsorship directly impacts our ability to provide more funding for our commitment to undergraduate research grants, offering innovative opportunities for budding researchers to explore and pioneer in our field.

Sponsorship Fee: $2,800

Thank You ISTAEF Fundraising Event Sponsors:

Call for Undergraduate Research Proposals

Researchers are encouraged to submit proposals in transit packaging.  While original concepts are welcomed and encouraged, research in the following topics would be of interest as well:

• Last mile hazards (examples: click-to-cart, drone, grocery delivery to home)
• Unit load stability - long-duration horizontal acceleration
• Clamp truck handling
• Measurement of dynamic and non-vertical compression forces
• Stacked vibration (specific example of the topic above)
  
• Thermal performance of shipping containers

The funding could be used to support the packaging school research curriculum or support independent research initiatives.  The selected researchers will provide a final report and their supporting data to the ISTA Educational Foundation (ISTAEF) upon project completion. They will also present their findings at the ISTA Forum and during a poster presentation at the ISTAEF Fundraising Dinner held during the Forum.  The funding could also be used to support the recipients' travel expenses to the Forum.  The goal is to tie grants to research in the transit packaging area. 

How to Submit Proposals

Universities interested in receiving grants from ISTA's Educational Foundation for research focused on designing packaging for transit may submit their proposals using the above ISTAEF proposal portal.

Eligibility: Any U.S.-based undergraduate program with a concentration in packaging, with the capabilities of executing distribution packaging research may submit a proposal.  Specifically,

1. It is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm their school’s ability to perform the distribution packaging research as proposed. In general, the applicant must have the capabilities to perform the proposed research. This includes having the appropriate curriculum, instructors, oversight, facilities and faculty and student capabilities to perform the distribution packaging research as proposed.
2. By submitting a proposal, the school agrees that their research team is willing and able to present results at the ISTA Forum and the ISTAEF Fundraising Dinner during the Forum.
3. Schools do not have to be ISTA members to be eligible for grants.

ISTAEF has developed a document describing the research grant process, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Previous Award Recipients

In 2025, the ISTA Educational Foundation awarded three $4,500 undergraduate research grants for the following proposals. The universities presented their findings at the 2025 ISTA Forum held on March 24-26 in Orlando, Florida.

In 2024, the ISTA Educational Foundation awarded three $4,500 undergraduate research grants for the following proposals. The universities presented their findings at the 2024 ISTA Forum held on April 22-24 in San Diego, California.

In 2023, the ISTA Educational Foundation awarded three $4,500 undergraduate research grants for the following proposals. The universities presented their findings at the 2023 ISTA Forum held on May 1-3 in Houston, Texas.