April 05, 2026

Soy-based tape wins competition

Purdue student soybean innovations

By Erica Quinlan
Indiana Soybean Alliance board member Andrew McDaniel (from left), a farmer from Waldron in central Indiana, and Team SoySeal members Elizabeth Heckaman, Jocelyn Erickson and Kasey Wright stand with ISA chair Denise Scarborough, a farmer from La Crosse in northwest Indiana. The Student Soybean Innovation Competition is a partnership between the ISA and Purdue University.

Indiana Soybean Alliance board member Andrew McDaniel (from left), a farmer from Waldron in central Indiana, and Team SoySeal members Elizabeth Heckaman, Jocelyn Erickson and Kasey Wright stand with ISA chair Denise Scarborough, a farmer from La Crosse in northwest Indiana. The Student Soybean Innovation Competition is a partnership between the ISA and Purdue University. (Provided photo/ISA/Riley Ann Photography)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A team of Purdue University students won a $20,000 grand prize at the Student Soybean Innovation Competition for creating a soy-based adhesive tape.

SoySeal is a 95% soybean-sourced adhesive tape. It was created by Purdue students Jocelyn Erickson, Elizabeth Heckaman and Kasey Wright.

“By entering a high-growth, multibillion-dollar space with a 95% soy-derived alternative, our product unlocks a scalable opportunity in a high-value market while promoting Indiana’s soybean industry,” Erickson said.

“At the same time, it addresses one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges — reducing the accumulation of microplastics in both our ecosystems and the human body.”

A team of Purdue University sophomores won $20,000 in the Student Soybean Innovation Competition for their soy-based adhesive product called SoySeal.

A team of Purdue University sophomores won $20,000 in the Student Soybean Innovation Competition for their soy-based adhesive product called SoySeal. (Purdue Agricultural Communications photo/Joshua Clark)

SoySeal remains sticky even after exposure to water and repeated hand washing.

The team said SoySeal combines the environmental benefits of plant-based materials with the practical reliability expected from industrial-grade tape.

Dr. Rodolfo Pinal People’s Choice Award

This year’s People’s Choice award was given to Team Soyé, creators of a soy-based menstrual pad.

Soyé features three soy-derived layers: a top layer for moisture-wicking comfortability, an absorbent core engineered from a tofu byproduct and an impermeable layer to prevent leakage.

A commercial-grade adhesive to ensure the same functionality as conventional menstrual pads is also added.

The makers of Soyé were Purdue students Marcia Kusumah of Jakarta, Indonesia; Eleanor Malinowski of Downers Grove in northeastern Illinois; and Chanyoung “Ivy” Moon of Seoul, South Korea.

Additional Industrial Track Winners

The $10,000 second-place award went to Team SoySlipSafe. Members of Team SoySlipSafe were Taylor Helman, Marley Kakalia and Lucy Shepard.

They created a soy-based anti-icer that can be used on roads prior to snowfall or freezing precipitation.

The $5,000 third place award went to Team SoyLam. Elizabeth Rozzi and Erica Conley created a soy-based plastic laminate designed to replace current plastic lamination materials.

Indiana Soybean AlliancePurdue UniversityScienceSoybeansYoung Leaders
Erica Quinlan

Erica Quinlan

Field Editor