Clemson FRESH has $5 million in funding to drive innovation and scale sustainable packaging solutions for specialty crops. Join us to explore international packaging criteria impacting U.S. food exports, assess your eligibility for funding, and navigate the process of securing support through Clemson’s Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab.
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    Tom Pollock, Moderator
    Director, Strategic Partnerships at GreenBlue
    Tom Pollock is the Director, Strategic Partnerships for GreenBlue. Tom joined GreenBlue in 2010 after leading industry working groups focused on the business value of sustainability at Metafore. Tom received his BA in English from the University of Iowa and an MBA from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Tom believes that affecting meaningful change comes through the power of collaboration, cultivating communities of leadership thinking, and creative problem-solving. Tom previously led the SPC’s forest products initiatives and has managed many working groups throughout GreenBlue’s growth. Today, he works closely with GreenBlue’s partners to help scale up mutual efforts, drive shared goals, and get to where we need to go faster. When he’s not trying to save the world, you can find Tom with his family exploring the great Pennsylvania outdoors in a canoe, on skis, or walking a trail with his favorite hiking partner, Daisy.
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    Dr. Andrew Hurley
    Professor of Packaging Science at Clemson University
    Dr. Andrew Hurley is an Associate Professor of Packaging Science at Clemson University. Andrew coordinates the packaging design curriculum, manages an internationally recognized consumer behavior research lab, and has delivered over 100 presentations on package design globally.

    Andrew’s research lab answers complex questions on product marketing and packaging. His experienced group has tested thousands of packages for hundreds of brands. Hurley’s efforts have resulted in multiple awards, patents, and increased sales by 40% for small and large businesses. The success of his lab catalyzed the formation of Package InSight, a full service package design and testing company in Greenville, SC.

    Andrew is also the lead instructor for Clemson University’s Center for Corporate Learning’s Certificate of Mastery in Packaging Management, a state-of-the-art online curriculum that teaches the necessary business acumen and professional vocabulary to work successfully within the packaging industry.
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    Dr. James Sternberg
    Sustainable Packaging Faculty at Clemson University
    James Sternberg is an assistant professor of sustainable packaging at Clemson University. Having studied chemistry at Furman University and the University of Florida, James completed his PhD studying biobased and recyclable polymers in the Department of Automotive Engineering at Clemson. James’ work focuses on redesigning common polymers to increase biocontent and fit within a circular economy. His research also investigates new ways of chemically recycling commercial plastics, finding new ways to synthesize valuable polymers from waste.