SPE Thermoforming Division announces 2017 scholarship recipients

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE; Bethel, CT) Thermoforming Division has awarded scholarships to three outstanding university students. The students have been invited to attend the 26th SPI Thermoforming Conference, which will be held Sept. 11 to 13 in Orlando, FL. They will be recognized during the Thermoforming Awards Dinner on Tuesday, Sept. 12.

The Bill Benjamin Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Michael Green, Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo. Green is from Jackson, MI. His first experience with thermoforming was at DT Manufacturing, where he worked as an inline operator. He is about to begin his senior year at WMU, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering with a minor in plastics. Green is president of the SPE Western Michigan University Student Chapter. When he finishes his degree, Green plans to start working in the plastics industry. His goals include becoming an expert on acetal processing and teaching future generations of plastics engineers.

The Thermoforming Division Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Logan Tate, Pennsylvania College of Technology (Williamsport, PA). Tate is a senior studying plastics and polymer engineering technologies at Penn College. He is serving a consecutive term as the SPE Student Chapter President. In his role as a research assistant at the Plastics Innovation & Resource Center (PIRC), he works with clients on a variety of projects, including process optimization/validation and product/material development, in addition to assisting with workforce development and training workshops. This summer, Tate worked as a plastics engineering intern in both the extrusion and injection molding departments at the headquarters of B. Braun Medical in Allentown, PA. He earned a B.S. in physics from Lock Haven University in 2015, and expects to graduate with a B.S. in plastics and polymers engineering technologies in May 2018.

The Thermoforming Division Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Stephanie Ternullo, University of Massachusetts Lowell. Ternullo recently graduated from UMass Lowell, receiving a B.S. degree in plastics engineering, with a minor in biomedical engineering. This fall she will begin working on a master’s degree in plastics engineering. She has interned at P&G Gillette for two summers, and will continue her full-time career in their employ this fall. She has also worked in plastics engineering at UMass Lowell as an undergraduate research assistant.

“Supporting the next generation of thermoforming industry professionals is of paramount importance to the SPE Thermoforming Division,” said Ed Probst, SPE Thermoforming Division Communications Committee Chair. “Education is at the core of our mission, whether on the factory floor or in the classroom. This year’s scholarship recipients have demonstrated impressive credentials and set a high bar for the future of our industry.”