Students at Westerly and Stonington High Schools have been exploring plastics applications and engineering thanks to presentations by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Plastivan Program.
Pupils
Model students: Pupils at Westerly High School enjoying learning about engineering and plastics
Sponsored by Davis-Standard, high school students delve into the chemistry, history and sustainability issues of polymers and plastics and their distinct properties. Students also received exposure to career opportunities and college programs focused on plastics engineering.
“The PlastiVan Program is a great way to excite young people about the science of plastics, and the vast opportunities the industry has to offer,” said Eve Vitale, SPE foundation director. “We travel to schools and companies throughout North America, educating people of all ages about plastics chemistry, history, processing, manufacturing, sustainability and applications. For students in the Westerly-Pawcatuck area this is especially beneficial because they have a global leader in the industry, Davis-Standard, just down the road.”
The PlastiVan Program, in its 21st year, educates students of all ages by ‘changing the perception of plastics one classroom at a time.’ Its goal is to increase student knowledge of the contributions of plastics in modern life and promote careers in engineering. Specific material covered with high school students includes how plastics are processed and manufactured; information on designer polymers; applications using super absorbing polymers; cross-linking of polymers; how history has impacted engineering and more.
According to Jim Murphy, Davis-Standard president and CEO: “The majority of our workforce in Pawcatuck is from the local area, so we want to make sure students realize the many opportunities available to them. This ranges from building machines that process polymers to the engineering and testing that makes it all possible.”