College of Agriculture & Natural Resources School of Packaging

Dr. Brian Via serves as Director of the School of Packaging, bringing a balanced background of academic leadership and industrial R&D to the role. With 17 years in academia and 14 years in the corporate sector, his career includes R&D leadership roles at International Paper and Louisiana Pacific, as well as retail experience at K-Mart. This diverse experience provides him with a practical, end-to-end understanding of the packaging supply chain, from raw materials and fiber procurement to retail shelf performance.

Previously, Dr. Via served as Director of the Forest Products Development Center and Regions Bank Professor at Auburn University. During his tenure, he focused on strengthening academic and research capacity in key packaging disciplines, supporting strategic faculty growth in critical areas such as bioplastics, food packaging, nanotechnology, and packaging systems.

As an active researcher, Dr. Via has secured over $54 million in research funding and holds multiple patents on bio-based adhesives. His research is closely tied to commercial utility; he recently conducted a successful 2025 mill trial utilizing soy-based adhesives to develop engineered wood materials, with packaging crates serving as a key target market.

Dedicated to fostering industry and academic collaboration, Dr. Via has raised $3 million in philanthropic gifts and served as President of the nonprofit Forest Products Society. As Editor-in-Chief of the Forest Products Journal, he applied strategic growth principles to expand the publication's scope to include packaging, successfully increasing its impact factor and reach.

Dr. Via is focused on working alongside faculty, students, and alumni to advance the School of Packaging's Packaging 2.0 initiative through collaborative research, innovative education, and strong industry partnerships.