Clemson packaging science team takes third place at Student Design Challenge

Published: December 11, 2012

Clemson packaging science students designed this package for a children's meal. image by: Clemson University

By Beth Anne Lamar 

CLEMSON — A team of Clemson University packaging science students took third place at the annual Student Design Challenge at PACK EXPO in Chicago.

Seniors Matthew Barber of Rock Hill and Dan Zold of Hartsville and junior Kyle McMurphy of Lexington designed a waterproof boat for this year’s challenge to design a functional and creative package for children’s meals in the fast food industry.

The blue and orange boat had meticulous and creative detail with rope on its top deck and circular windows on the side. More importantly, it was waterproof and could float.

“Our main goal was to create a package that could be used as a toy, so what better than a floating boat?” Barber said.

The team of Barber, McMurphy and Zold won $1,000 as well as $1,000 for the food, nutrition and packaging science department.

The project was part of their packaging design theory class in which they worked with 14 other groups. During the semester they gave four presentations about the progress of their design.

“The criticism was the hardest part about the design process,” said McMurphy, “but the criticism also made every success that much better.”

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for our students and packaging design curriculum,” said Rupert Andrew Hurley, faculty adviser and assistant professor of packaging science.

PACK EXPO is an international packaging and processing industry trade show. 

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