Dr. Vorst serves as the Director for the Polymer and Food Protection Consortium in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.Dr. Vorst’s research area emphasis is the technical development and safety of food packaging including the interaction of food and packaging materials at Iowa State University. 

Dr. Vorst worked in the industry for three major packaging companies and served as a consultant for a major automotive manufacturer prior to joining academia in his current position at Iowa State University. Dr. Vorst has several peer-reviewed publications and patents for recycled plastic characterization and performance, contamination monitoring, carbon nanotubes, medical device manufacturing, microbial testing methods, and polymer design. Dr. Vorst has published in the American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM), Journal of Testing and Evaluation, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Journal of Polymer Testing, Journal of Food Protection and Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting. 

Dr. Vorst has also served as a reviewer for the Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Journal of Food Protection, Journal of Testing and Evaluation, Journal of Material Science, and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).