About Us

Photo: Don’t Pack a Pest for Academic Travelers Student Ambassador Team at an outreach event at Oregon State University.

Meet the Don’t Pack a Pest for Academic (DPAP) Travelers coalition!

The Don’t Pack a Pest for Academic Travelers coalition is a group of student ambassadors and a community of partners dedicated to keeping our nation safe through responsible packing practices.

Here is a little more about each of our programs:

The @AcademicTravelers Student Ambassador Program is a cohort of international, local, and study abroad students who create university-based outreach to educate students, faculty, and researchers about the risks of traveling with agricultural items.

Our students connect food with culture and customs that enrich all of our lives by sharing how we can enjoy those foods and festivities by buying and preparing these foods locally.

Additionally, they provide alternatives to packing these foods, agricultural, and natural items when traveling internationally to reduce the risk of hitchhiking pests and diseases.

Our Community of Partners Program, led by the Oregon State University Sea Grant and the University of Minnesota Extension, is a coalition of academic institutions, federal agencies, and researchers. This team is dedicated to promoting safe and responsible packing practices through research collaborations, outreach, and material implementation. Our partner institutions host focus groups and workshops, educate students through orientations and newsletters and co-present at conferences.

The entire Don’t Pack a Pest for Academic Traveler team cares deeply about empowering you with information to “pack safe, pack smart, and pack aware” so you can have a positive experience at our ports of entry.

If you ever have questions or would like to reach out, contact us at academictraveler@oregonstate.edu!

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