Michigan State University’s School of Packaging is entering the next phase of its evolution as it seeks funding for a $25m expansion.

This effort comes just over a year after the completion of a $10m renovation of its existing facilities, a project that modernised laboratories, classrooms, and collaboration spaces.

The proposed expansion would double the size of the school’s current building, allowing for more research capabilities, advanced technology, and increased capacity for students and faculty.

According to university representatives, the expanded facility will be designed to support the school’s focus on sustainable and innovative packaging solutions.

Founded in 1952, the School of Packaging is recognised as a pioneer in the field, educating 40% of packaging professionals in the US The school’s network of over 10,000 alumni remains deeply involved in global packaging industries.

Focus on sustainability and innovation

The School of Packaging has maintained a strong emphasis on addressing environmental challenges in packaging. Its research spans a variety of areas, including biodegradable materials, food preservation technologies, and solutions for hard-to-recycle plastics.

Dr. Rafael Auras, a leading voice in packaging sustainability, continues to explore alternatives to traditional plastics through his work on bio-based and biodegradable materials.

Auras’s research team has collaborated on notable projects, including the development of packaging solutions for space missions with NASA.

Another ongoing project involves the use of cellulose nanomaterials to create recyclable single-layer films, led by associate director Dr. Laurent Matuana. This research could significantly impact the recyclability of flexible packaging, which currently poses major challenges for the industry.

Growth in research funding and collaboration

The school has seen a surge in funding from industry, government agencies, and commodity groups over the past year. Projects led by researchers such as Dr. Eva Almenar, who focuses on extending the shelf life of fresh produce through sustainable packaging, exemplify the school’s collaborative approach.

Almenar has partnered with international institutions to tackle food waste issues, a key concern for both industry and consumers.

New faculty members are also driving innovation. Dr. Qiang Yang, a recent addition to the team, has made significant strides in improving the energy efficiency of pulp processing and developing cellulose-based packaging materials.

The road ahead

While MSU’s School of Packaging is in the early stages of its $25m fundraising effort, its ambitions reflect a broader trend in academia: addressing global challenges through interdisciplinary research and education.

If realised, the expanded facility will position the school to further contribute to sustainable packaging solutions and meet growing industry demand.

For now, the school remains at the forefront of tackling issues like plastic waste, food security, and the circular economy. As packaging continues to evolve, the institution’s role in shaping the future of the field is likely to grow.

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Ryan Day has felt a large sting in each of Ohio State’s losses to Michigan in the past three seasons. He’s hoping to change that when the two hated rivals play on Saturday (noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

The Ohio State head coach admitted that his team’s three straight losses to Michigan were one of the toughest moments of his life and only topped by the loss of a loved one. 

“We felt what it’s like to not win this game, and it’s bad. It’s one of the worst things that’s happened to me in my life, quite honestly,” Day said in an interview on WBNS’ “Game Time with Ryan Day.” “Other than losing my father and a few other things, like it’s quite honestly, for my family, the worst thing that’s happened. So we can never have that happen again, ever. And that’s been the approach all season.”

While Day has been one of college football’s winningest coaches since he was promoted by Ohio State in 2019 (66-9), his inability to win in the majority of the Buckeyes’ biggest games has led to scrutiny. Day is 1-3 against Michigan, with his only win coming in 2019 (the two teams did not play in the COVID-shortened 2020 season).

Entering Saturday’s game, Ohio State holds a clear edge over Michigan. The Buckeyes are 10-1 and Day has notched two top-five victories in November, improving his record against top-five opponents to 4-6. The Wolverines, meanwhile, have struggled offensively in their first season under Sherrone Moore, causing them to enter The Game with a 6-5 record.

Even though Ohio State seems to be on a playoff track regardless of what happens Saturday, it still seems imperative for Day to beat Michigan. Ohio State hasn’t lost four straight games to Michigan since its 0-5-1 stretch from 1988-93. 

When you consider that Day’s predecessor, Urban Meyer, won all seven of his matchups against Michigan, he understands the pressure the rivalry brings, saying it’s “not just a game — it’s our life.”

“We know what this game means and certainly I know what this game means. And there’s a lot of people counting on this game,” Day said. “This is our identity. It’s who we are. We don’t have anything else. So it’s a big responsibility. And the last couple of years, when it doesn’t get done, it just eats at your core. And so it just motivates you every single day to come back, to get this done, to stand on the field and sing the (alma mater) Carmen Ohio after winning this game.”

Ohio State’s shortcomings against Michigan in each of the last three seasons could have arguably been the difference between it winning and losing a national championship. The Buckeyes were left out of the College Football Playoff in the 2021 and 2023 seasons due to their loss to the Wolverines. Ohio State was included in the four-team field in 2022, but as the No. 4 seed had to face defending champion Georgia in the semifinal rather than the title game. The Buckeyes lost that playoff game when they missed a potential game-winning field goal as time expired.

Ohio State came close to beating Michigan last season but fell 30-24 in Ann Arbor to the eventual national champs. After the 2023 loss, the vast majority of its draft-eligible players returned for another season, including wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and defensive linemen Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau. Day is hoping that Saturday will mark the day that this senior class will get over the hump and get its first win over Michigan.

“It’s not about me … it’s about these seniors who decided to come back,” Day said. “They’re the ones that are on the field. They’re the true warriors that go put it on the line every game. And they came back for a reason: It’s to win this game. And they’ve made that very clear. So, you know, while we’re all involved in it and I appreciate what they said, this is about these players.”

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Michigan is no longer pursuing a plan to turn farmland into an industrial site after facing community pushback on developing the controversial megasite.

The Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the Lansing Area Economic Partnership, LEAP, put together a 1,400-acre megasite in Eagle Township to attract a largescale, job-creating investment.

But after the state disbursed nearly $6 million to the project, it’s been halted.

“We continue to believe the site could have great potential given its proximity to infrastructure, workforce and other adjacent industrial uses,” said Otie McKinley, a spokesperson for the Michigan Economic Development Corp. “We also recognize that this is not the right time to pursue additional development on the site.”

‘At what cost?’ Michigan communities fight mega sites despite promise of jobs

The Eagle Township megasite, also known as the Michigan Manufacturing Innovation Campus, was one of four megasites the state started assembling two years ago as a part of its strategy to land major billion-dollar investments.

Named for their size, each “build-ready” megasite is at least 1,000 acres.

Others are located in Mundy Township near Flint, Shiawassee County and Marshall, where Ford Motor Co. is building a $2.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant.

The Michigan Strategic Fund earmarked $75 million two years ago to make these megasites “build ready” with infrastructure upgrades and real estate acquisition.

For the Eagle Township property, the state distributed $5.95 million to LEAP for site prep. LEAP did not respond to questions about how the funding was spent.

LEAP says there was a “sense of urgency” because of Michigan’s need for “sites of that magnitude to pursue important semiconductor and EV-related industry investment projects to reshore US manufacturing and technology jobs.”

It took six months of “confidential real estate assembly” to put together the Eagle Township megasite, according to LEAP. This included farmland donated to Michigan State University by late farmer David Morris and private properties under a three-year option agreement.

LEAP has since allowed the real estate options to expire after “the local municipality leaders and neighbor sentiment turned from initial unanimous support into significant opposition.”

“We took the further step of offering early termination to all affected property owners in recent weeks,” LEAP said in a statement.

Michigan assembling 1,000-acre ‘mega sites’ to attract big investments

This decision comes after the project faced significant backlash from community members who objected to the large swath of rural land becoming a major industrial site.

Opposition gained momentum over the past two years through a 3,200-member Facebook group called “Stop the Mega Site, Eagle MI.” Red signs proclaiming “No Eagle Megasite” have also dotted the rural community located about 15 miles west of Lansing.

Eagle Township Supervisor and local farmer Troy Stroud, 54, says he’s cautiously optimistic about the news.

“We’re not all farmers in Eagle, but it’s a very strong part of how we identify and what we enjoy about where we live,” he said. “It’s what matters to us, and you have to fight for what matters to you.”

A key sticking point for opponents was that Morris, a former Eagle Township supervisor and longtime farmer, donated his centennial family farm to Michigan State University with the stipulation it must remain farmland until 2031. MSU previously said the agreement would extend to any future owner, but the university was sued last year for allegedly redacting too much information about the deal.

Stroud says a “lack of transparency” was another major issue after former township supervisor Patti Schafer signed non-disclosure agreements about the project.

“We just wanted some transparency around what it was,” he said. “It just became this quest of wanting to know the knowledge, the details, what was really happening.”

State approves $250M grant for new Genesee County megasite

This led to Schafer, Township Treasurer Kathy Oberg and Trustee Richard Jones facing recall efforts over the NDAs. Schafer lost her seat to Stroud while Oberg and Jones both resigned last November.

Secrecy around economic development has also been contentious in Lansing where lawmakers have signed confidentiality agreements tied to big deals.

It remains unclear what the future holds for the Eagle Township megasite.

Both LEAP and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. said it is not currently being marketed for development. A website for the Michigan Manufacturing Innovation Campus is now password protected. And the “primary economic opportunity” LEAP was trying to land chose another location outside the region.

Additionally, Eagle Township adopted a 220-page master plan in September that reflects residents’ will “to maintain the cherished natural and rural charm of the community.” It also updated its zoning rules around industrial sites.

“The future of a site in Eagle Township remains in the hands of the community,” McKinley said. “We are always open to any future engagement should their vision or plans for development on that site change from what they are today.”