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2026 Summer Start: Track 8

Summer Start Program: Track 8

Socio-Cultural Systems in Packaging and Sustainability

This track explores the critical intersection of packaging innovation and sustainability through cultural, social, and economic lenses. You'll examine how consumer behavior, cultural values, policies, and equity considerations influence packaging design and sustainability outcomes. 

Registration ends on July 9th, 2026.

Register for Summer Start!

wine lab tinned seafood tasting for SBIO 2154

wine lab tinned seafood tasting for SBIO 2154
Spring 2026 SBIO 2154 visited The Wine Lab for a tinned seafood tasting, learning how the various packaging types help preserve food.

Summer Start: Track 8 - Registration is OPEN!


Register: by contacting summer@vt.edu as early as possible; courses start on July 7th, and the deadline to register is July 9th, 2026. The ONLY way to register for these specific 2026 summer courses is by emailing the address provided and letting them know that you're interested in the Summer Start program, and particularly in registering for Track 8.

Summer Start: 2026 COURSES ONLY OFFERED VIRTUALLY!

All courses will be held (virtually): July 7th thru August 14th, 2026 (register by July 9th). All students will finish the Summer Start program with 6  credits.

"Summer Start is a special opportunity for first-year students to jump-start their academic experience by earning six hours of course credit through a track program. Virginia Tech is one of a select number of universities in the nation to offer a Summer Start program. More than 1,500 students have benefited from Summer Start since it launched in 2012. The tracks allow students to customize their learning experience based on their interests and go into the fall semester with a strong GPA." Summer Start at VT


 

Learn more about the courses in Summer Start: Track 8
 

Packaging and Culture

SBIO 2154   |   CRN 80121   |   3 Credits

Think packaging is just a box or a bottle? Packaging and Culture isn't your typical science class. You'll uncover how packaging has quietly shaped human civilization - driving the rise of agriculture, global trade, and modern supply chains.

Real history, real stakes! Trace packaging from ancient society to today's supply chains.

Learn more about SBIO 2154

Contact: Dr. Matt Baker

Systems Thinking

SBIO 1024   |   CRN 90116   |   3 Credits

Come see the world through a new lens - one that connects the dots between people, the planet, and the economy. You’ll explore how natural resources can be used and cycled through sustainable systems, as well as how to weigh ethical trade-offs.

By the end, you’ll not only think differently - you’ll be ready to make a difference.

Learn more about SBIO 1024

 

outdoor class session for SBIO 1024
drone class for SBIO 2154
outdoor class session 2 for SBIO 1024
Register for 2026 Summer Start : Track 8