The SPE Blow Molding Division recognized eight students at the Annual Blow Molding Conference, for the Student Design Contest and four scholarships.

The Division has conducted the annual Student Design Contest since 2001 to promote interest in blow molding applications. A $1,000 prize is awarded for first place, along with a travel allowance so the winners can present their proposal at ABC.

A panel of professionals from the Board of Directors judges the entries on novelty, feasibility and documentation quality.

First place for the 2026 competition went to Brady Rametta, a fourth-year Plastics Engineering Technology student at Penn State Behrend pursuing a medical plastics certificate.

He works for SAMTEC Erie Tool as a co-op simulation analyst. He is also involved in several on-campus organizations at Behrend, including THON, Student Government Association, Lion Ambassadors, Welcome Week, and Triangle Fraternity.

"I would like to thank my professors, friends, and classmates for supporting me all throughout this project. The support has been nothing short of amazing, and I hope to continue promoting Behrend's program the best I can!" Rametta said.

His project, AquaHarvest, was designed as a durable, food-grade, UV-stable cylindrical rainwater collection and storage vessel manufactured via extrusion blow molding (EBM) from high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

It is designed for deployment in developing regions where municipal water infrastructure is unavailable or unreliable, intended to replace improvised vessels — steel drums, clay pots, and cut plastic containers — used for rainwater collection.

A team from Pennsylvania College of Technology, Trevor Culbertson, Luke Springman and Nathan Zook, earned second place for their Water Filled Weight.

Third place went to Joyce O'Neal and Dylan Popies of Penn State Behrend for a Beekeeper Bee Box.

Springman and Zook were also among the four scholarship winners recognized at the conference, along with Jackson Comes and Stuart Swingruber:

Carrie Fox Solin Memorial Scholarship

Springman is a Polymer Engineering student at Pennsylvania College of Technology with a passion for plastics manufacturing and process improvement. Through hands-on coursework and an internship at Niagara Bottling, he has developed a strong interest in blow molding, manufacturing and continuous improvement. He enjoys learning from experienced professionals and applying his knowledge to real-world challenges.

Outside the classroom, he enjoys hunting, fishing, working out and spending time with family and friends. He looks forward to continuing his education and building a career in the plastics industry.

The SPE Blow Molding Division began awarding this scholarship – its first – in 1991. It is named in memory of Carrie Fox Solin, who made numerous contributions to the plastics industry and served on the division’s board of directors from 1987 until her untimely passing in 1990. To support and encourage students interested in pursuing careers in the blow molding industry, the board awards this $3,000 scholarship to a qualifying student.

Future Blow Molding Professionals Internship Scholarship

Comes is a third-year PhD student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington with a research focus on sustainable bioplastics manufacturing. His work explores new methods for producing biodegradable plastics from industrial waste using engineered microorganisms. He also develops genetic tools that enable these manufacturing platforms to be deployed more efficiently.

He is passionate about the future of plastics manufacturing and excited by the opportunity to develop scalable production technologies that improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact, while strengthening domestic manufacturing. He hopes to help build a more sustainable and resilient plastics industry through innovative biomanufacturing processes.

The Future Blow Molding Professionals Internship Scholarship was established in 2021 to support students seeking experiential learning opportunities in the blow molding industry. The board provides a scholarship of $3,000, sponsored by W. Müller USA Inc.

Willi Müller Memorial Scholarship

Zook is a senior majoring in Plastic and Polymer Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology. He has worked full-time while pursuing his degree, balancing leadership responsibilities in manufacturing. Since joining Playworld Systems in 2021, he has served as a lead operator in the company's rotational molding facility. Since 2022, he led the department’s training team, supports quality and continuous improvement initiatives, and has completed formal leadership training through TWI's Job Relations program.

After gaining experience in composites manufacturing through vacuum resin infusion and hand layup during the summer of 2024, he returned to rotational molding, where he combines hands-on production experience with engineering and process improvement.

He also serves as VP of Penn College's SPE student chapter. He enjoys tackling projects that bridge engineering and production and looks forward to building a career in the plastics industry.

The division awards the Willi Müller Memorial Scholarship on behalf of W. Müller USA Inc., which supports the scholarship with an annual donation of $3,000. It is named for the company’s founder, Willi Müller, who was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame posthumously in 2013 for his many contributions to the blow molding industry. 

ALPS Inspection Scholarship

Swingruber is going into his junior year at Western Washington University's Material Science Engineering program. He participated in Western’s paid research program over the summer, investigating pathways to recycle post-consumer rope waste into composite rebar. His main interests include high-performance composite materials.

The ALPS Inspection Scholarship, established in 2025, provides a $2,500 award to an undergraduate student with experience in blow molding, packaging and/or recycling.

For more details on the design competition and scholarship opportunities, visit www.blowmoldingdivision.org.

This article appears in the fall 2026 issue of The Journal of Blow Molding. 

© 2026, Society of Plastics Engineers Blow Molding Division