Edlong Awards Feeding Tomorrow Scholarships; Getting to know Shyam Sablani

Edlong awards Feeding Tomorrow scholarships
Edlong, a leading crafter of dairy and dairy-free flavors, has granted Feeding Tomorrow scholarships to Mark Bollom and Brianna McBride. The scholarships are offered through IFT to promote and reward excellence of students pursuing careers in food science.

Bollom, a first-year master’s student at Iowa State University, was awarded the 2019 Feeding Tomorrow Specialty Graduate Scholarship. He hopes to pursue a career in the dairy industry as an R&D scientist.

McBride, a first-year student at Iowa State University with a double major in food science and dairy science, was awarded the 2019 Feeding Tomorrow Specialty Undergraduate Scholarship. McBride intends to pursue an entrepreneurial career, filling a need in the dairy community as well as working internationally to help feed the world and encourage healthy living.

“We’re honored to support Mark and Brianna in their studies and are confident they will make great contributions to the dairy industry,” said Edlong President and CEO Laurette Rondenet.

Slade, Levine receive lectureship award
The Alsberg-French-Schoch Memorial Lectureship Award for 2019 has been awarded to IFT members Louise Slade and Harry Levine. The award was established in 1965 to honor chemists who have made distinguished contributions to fundamental starch science. Established by the Corn Refiners with a grant to AACC International for its administration, the award is given every two to four years and includes the opportunity to present a lecture on some phase of starch science before an annual meeting of the association.

The 2019 lecture will take place at the AACCI Cereals & Grains 19th Annual Meeting, to be held in Denver from November 3 to 5. The award lecture presents a 39-year retrospective on the applications of Slade/Levine’s “food polymer science” approach to the practice of industrial R&D, leading to U.S. patent estates based on fundamental starch science and technology.

Thayer receives Who’s Who recognition
Food chemist and microbiologist Donald Wayne Thayer has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Scientists for his dedication, achievements, and leadership in food safety management.

Thayer holds a PhD from Colorado State University and had been a research leader of the food safety management unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture prior to retiring. His earlier positions included serving as chief of the food safety laboratory from 1985 to 2001. Thayer also taught at Texas Tech University, managed the applied biology program for the National Science Foundation, and conducted research at the Naval Medical Research Institute and the National Naval Medical Center. He consulted internationally as a U.S. delegate for food irradiation, foodborne diseases, and health impact as well.

Throughout his career, Thayer received accolades for his contributions, including election to the American Academy of Microbiology. Among his awards are the Colonel Rohland A. Isker Award from the Research and Development Associates for Military Food Packaging Systems, the Outstanding Scientist of the Year Award from the Agricultural Research Service, and the Julius Bauermann Lectureship Award from the Philadelphia Section of IFT. He maintains professional affiliations with the American Chemical Society, IFT, and the International Association of Food Protection.

Getting to know Shyam Sablani
Each month, we meet one of IFT’s valued volunteers.

Having the opportunity to mentor curious and passionate students is one of the things Shyam Sablani enjoys most about being a professor of food engineering at Washington State University. “These students bring silly and wild ideas,” he says. “I act as a conduit to channel their energy and effort in the right direction, potentially leading to rewarding outcomes.”

Sablani, who also serves as associate department chair of biological systems engineering, feels fortunate to work with the food and packaging polymer industry as well as with regulatory professionals. “I believe the academia-industry-government partnership is not only a key to shorten the product design cycle but also to augmenting product and technology commercialization,” he notes.

Sablani’s affiliation with IFT began in 1994 as a student member. While a student, he went on to win the IFT Certificate of Merit in 1995 and the George F. Stewart International Research Paper Competition in 1997. After joining Washington State University, Sablani started volunteering with IFT as an associate editor of the Journal of Food Science (JFS). Since 2013, he has served as a scientific editor of the Food Engineering, Materials Science and Nanotechnology section of JFS and, in 2016, was the recipient of IFT’s Marcel Loncin Research Prize. Currently past chair of the Food Packaging Division, Sablani has also served as a technical abstract reviewer and juror for the IFT Achievement Awards.

Through his impressive roster of volunteer activities, Sablani has met talented and experienced individuals from whom, he says, “I have not only learned science (of food) but also life lessons.” 

Looking to the future, he believes technology will be an important shaper of the food industry. “I feel the food and agriculture industry will leverage artificial intelligence, big data, and sensing technologies to change the way we produce, process, transport, and consume food,” he predicts. “The food and service industry will witness smart manufacturing technologies, smart appliances, and intelligent packaging. Millennials and Gen Z will drive development of eco-friendly products and technologies leading to the reduction of (food, packaging, energy, and water) waste because they care about the future.”

Aside from technology, Sablani believes the key to future success lies in having a passion for your life’s work. “I like science,” he says, “and I believe people with passion can find the right solutions to complex (food) problems; however, it is important that we identify and recognize ‘the real problems’ of the planet.”

Section Meetings
Dogwood
Oct. 29: Food Industry Expo. Concord, N.C.
Click here.

Philadelphia
Oct. 23: Suppliers’ Night. Philadelphia.
Click here.

Rocky Mountain
Sept. 17: Golf Outing. Golden, Colo. Click here.

Sept. 18: Suppliers’ Night. Denver. Click here.

In Memoriam
IFT notes the passing of the following member: Charles A. Nickolaus.

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