July 02, 2024

University of Leeds Professor Anwesha Sarkar Honored with IFT’s Research & Development Award

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is pleased to announce that Anwesha Sarkar, PhD, Professor of Colloids and Surfaces at University of Leeds, has been awarded IFT’s Research & Development Award, which honors individual or team accomplishments in research and development.

CHICAGO – July 2, 2024 – The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific organization committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, is pleased to announce that Anwesha Sarkar, PhD, Professor of Colloids and Surfaces at University of Leeds, has been awarded IFT’s Research & Development Award, which honors individual or team accomplishments in research and development.

To be considered for this award, those nominated must have been responsible for a research and development program that led to the implementation of a significant, practical, and novel achievement in food technology. Sarkar will be honored at the Awards Ceremony & Reception at IFT FIRST: Annual Event and Expo, which is being held July 14-17, 2024, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Sarkar joined the University of Leeds in Leeds, England, in 2017, where she serves as the Director of Research and Innovation for the School of Food Science and Nutrition in addition to her role as a professor. Recently, she launched MicroLub Ltd, a University of Leeds spin-out company dedicated to creating fat-replacement and nutrient delivery ingredients. Previously, she served as an Academic Visitor at Soft and Living Materials Lab in Zürich, Switzerland. She also served in various scientific roles at Nestlé. She has received several awards, including the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Food Group Early Career Medal, the University of Leeds’ Women of Achievement award, and the European Research Council’s Starting Grant.

Sarkar received her undergraduate degree in Dairy Technology from the West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Science in West Bengal, India, before receiving her master’s degree in Food Technology from the Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysore, Karnataka, India. She then earned her PhD in Food Technology from Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Sarkar is a member of the British Section of IFT and resides in Leeds, England.

View the winners of the 2024 IFT Achievement Awards.

About Institute of Food Technologists

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a global organization of over 11,000 individual members from more than 90 countries committed to advancing the science of food. Since 1939, IFT has brought together the brightest minds in food science, technology and related professions from academia, government, and industry to solve the world’s greatest food challenges. IFT works to ensure that its members have the resources they need to learn, grow, and innovate to advance the science of food as the population and the world evolve. IFT believes that science and innovation is essential to ensuring a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. For more information, please visit ift.org.