MSU students present research at EAV plastics conference

Three undergraduate students from Michigan State University’s (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources presented research at the 2025 Plastics in Electric and Autonomous Vehicle Conference, held last month in Troy.

Zhanyla Coley, Corey McKenzie and Kayla Young, alumni of Detroit-based Ecotek Lab, served as student ambassadors and presented on bioproducts and sustainable design in electric vehicle development. The conference, hosted by the Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Division, focuses on plastics applications in electric and autonomous vehicles.

McKenzie, a forestry major and first-year research assistant, earned third place for his “Genius Talk” on using lignin-based materials in vehicle components. He works in professor Mojgan Nejad’s lab and began researching polymers in high school through Ecotek.

“I came to MSU because I already had a network and connections with the faculty,” McKenzie said.

(Left to right) Corey McKenzie, Zhanyla Coley and Kayla Young, alumni of Detroit-based Ecotek Lab, served as student ambassadors and presented on bioproducts and sustainable design in electric vehicle development. Photo courtesy of MSU.

Coley, a pre-veterinary medicine student, earned first place for her presentation on designing pet-safe travel carriers for EVs. She will participate in MSU’s BRUSH summer research program focused on biomedical sciences.

Young, a senior in the MSU School of Packaging, helped mentor fellow students and continues to conduct research on recyclable packaging under the guidance of faculty. She previously received top honors for a project on packaging for EV batteries.

Ecotek Lab provides early STEM research opportunities and has partnered with MSU to develop a student pipeline for agriculture, natural resources and packaging disciplines. Students involved with Ecotek arrive at MSU with advanced lab experience and foundational STEM skills.