School of Packaging Director Candidate #3 Seminar - Dr. Desmond VanHouten
January 29, 2026 10:00AM - 11:30AM
School of Packaging Room 100 or Zoom
Public Seminar, SoP Director Position #1082263.
Leading the Pack in a Dynamic Environment
Dr. Desmond VanHouten
Tuesday, January 29, 2026, 10:00 am EST
In Person at:
448 Wilson Rd., Room 100
School of Packaging, MSU
Online Attendance: MSU ZOOM
The packaging of tomorrow will require innovation across many disciplines for success including materials, packaging design, life cycle analysis, and product recycling. With the need for cross-functional innovation, universities are well positioned to lead in supporting the advancements that are needed in the field of packaging. Building on the School of Packaging’s foundation and the vision for Packaging 2.0 is important to keep Michigan State as the premier program.
Dr. VanHouten will share his vision for continuing the momentum of Packaging 2.0 and discuss the evolution that will enable MSU’s School of Packaging to maintain its position of prominence and leadership in the field. This seminar will consider how the evolution of the SoP will lead to increased opportunities for students and expanded research for Faculty to drive the necessary and valuable advancements for industry and society.
Short Biography: Dr. Desmond VanHouten is currently Marketing Director for Amcor Flexibles North America. In this role he has been responsible for building out and leading a cross-functional team to support market strategies and customer relationships, with a current focus on improving Amcor’s position in coffee packaging. Dr. VanHouten joined Amcor, through the Bemis acquisition, and has been in the packaging industry for over 10 years. A majority of his time at Amcor has been in R&D, where he was able to lead a large team of engineers in new product development, customer support, and cost improvements for food packaging within segments such as Produce, Coffee, Polyethylene Packaging, and Dry Mix. Dr. VanHouten’s blend of technical and commercial experience, along with an engaging communication style has helped foster a strong network of relationships with customers and across trade organizations. Prior to joining Amcor, Dr. VanHouten has started his industrial career as a Product Development Engineer at the Owens Corning Science & Technology center. In his roles at Owens Corning, he was responsible for new product development and improvements in residential insulation, asphalt roofing, and glass fibers for composite applications. Dr. VanHouten earned his PhD in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from Virgina Tech, where he focused on benign processing of high temperature microcellular foams using supercritical carbon dioxide and water. Dr. VanHouten has authored several publications in polymer processing & characterization, along with several patents across the fields of building materials and packaging.
Get Directions
Print
Email