Now home to IFT FIRST – Be a part of the solutions and conversations helping to shape the future of food
IFT FIRST is where it happens. Register Now!
Awards and Recognition
IFT’s Achievement Awards and Fellows program honors members who are improving food for everyone, everywhere. Their work inspires IFT's community and drives meaningful change across the global food system.
2026 Class of IFT Fellows & Award Recipients
IFT is honored to announce the distinguished members of the 2026 Class of IFT Fellows and the recipients of the 2026 IFT Achievement Awards. Each honoree has demonstrated remarkable contributions to the science of food, and their impact is far-reaching!
2026 IFT Fellows
- Valente Alvarez, PhD
- Adelia Bovell-Benjamin, PhD, CFS
- Roman Buckow, PhD
- Sarah Kirkmeyer, PhD, MBA, CFS
- Xiaonan Lu, PhD
- Olive Yao Li, PhD
- Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, PhD
- Cristina Sabliov, PhD
- Justin Shimek, PhD
- Marcia Walker
2026 Achievement Award Recipients
- Distinguished Career Award in honor of Carl R. Fellers, PhD - Jianping Wu, PhD
- Distinguished Lipid and Flavor Science Award in honor of Stephen S. Chang - David Julian McClements, PhD
- Food Packaging Award in honor of Don Riester, Rees Davis, and Aaron Brody - Shyam Sablani, PhD
- Include Award in honor of George Washington Carver - Tamanna Ramesh, CFS
- Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of Nicolas Appert - Rui Hai Liu, PhD
- Outstanding Young Scientist Award in honor of Samuel Cate Prescott - Abigail Snyder
- Research & Development Award | Team Leaders: Diana Maya & Edgar Chow | Key Contributors: Juming Tang, PhD, Louise Wicker, PhD, & Shyam Sablani, PhD
- Collaborative Research Grant in honor of Marcel Loncin - Pu Jing
- Sensory & Consumer Sciences Achievement Award - Edgar Chambers IV, PhD
Achievement Awards
IFT Achievement Awards honor members for outstanding contributions to science, technology, applications, and service in food. IFT administers 17 awards, presented annually, biennially, or triennially, recognizing excellence in research, innovation, leadership, and service.
IFT Fellows is the highest honor bestowed by IFT. Each year, IFT elects a new class of Fellows to recognize members for significant and sustained contributions to the field and to the organization.
Program Information
Learn more about the Achievement Awards and Fellows program in the Program Policy and FAQ, where you’ll find details on eligibility, recent updates, timelines, and the nomination process.
Become a Member Today
Get discounts on courses and IFT FIRST, make new connections through Member Connect, and access publications and journals with an IFT Membership.