IFT 2014 Awards & Fellows (Online Exclusive)

2014 IFT Achievement Award Winners

IFT Achievement Awards recognize remarkable contributions in research, applications, and service in the food science and technology industry. The roster of 2014 honorees is as follows.

Nicolas Appert Award

C. Patrick Dunne, Ph.D., Retired Senior Advisor in Advanced Processing and Nutritional Biochemistry for the Dept. of Defense Combat Feeding Directorate at the U.S. Army Research Center, has received the 2014 Nicholas Appert Award for his leadership in focused research in advanced food processing that has led to transition to new processing technologies, such as high pressure processing, pulsed electric field processing, and microwave sterilization, to move from laboratory research to industrial adoption and production of improved food products.

Dunne developed several major collaborative, multidisciplinary R&D teams to improve the state of advanced food processing with many achievements linked to the global reach of the IFT Nonthermal Processing Division, which he cofounded in 1998 and led as the first chair. He has helped enhance the science base of IFT through technical leadership in a wide range of activities to reach a broad range of food technologists to become aware of new opportunities in advancing the state of food processing with tangible examples of improved products. He worked directly with academic scientists and military ration producers in the Defense Logistics Agency’s Manufacturing Technology project CORANET to improve the family of packaged shelf-stable rations with extended high-quality shelf lives via advances in packaging, processing, and formulation. Dunne used his perspective as a biochemist to drive implementation of advanced nutrient delivery systems for military rations to meet extra nutritional demands of stressful situations.

Babcock-Hart Award

Fereidoon Shahidi, Ph.D, University Research Professor in Biochemistry at Memorial University, Canada, and cross-appointed to Biology, Ocean Sciences, and Aquaculture, has received the 2014 Babcock-Hart Award for his outstanding and substantial contributions to lipid science and technology, muscle foods, natural antioxidants, and functional foods.

Shahidi is the author of 740 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, 64 books, and nine patents. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Functional Foods, Editor of Food Chemistry, editorial/advisory board member of the Journal of Food Science, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Journal of Food Science and Human Wellness, Journal of Food Bioscience, and Current Nutrition and Food Science. Shahidi is globally recognized for his contributions to food science and technology, has received numerous awards, and is a most highly cited scholar.

Stephen S. Chang Award for Lipid or Flavor Science

Alejandro Marangoni, Ph.D., Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, University of Guelph, has received the 2014 Stephen S. Chang Award for Lipid or Flavor Science for his significant contribution to lipid science and his fundamental discoveries about the nature of fat crystals that have not only increased understanding of fat crystals but also contributed significantly to enhancing the industrial uses of fats.

Marangoni studies the physical properties of foods, particularly fat crystallization and structure, and has published over 200 refereed research articles, 50 book chapters, nine books, and 20 patents. He is the recipient of many awards, including the 2014 Supelco/Nicholas Pellick and the 2013 Stephen Chang awards from the American Oil Chemists’ Society. Marangoni is the Coeditor-in-Chief of Current Opinion in Food Science and past Editor-in-Chief of Food Research International. He has founded several high technology companies and is the co-recipient of the 2008 Guelph Partners of Innovation Innovator of the Year Award.

William V. Cruess Award

F. Xavier Malcata, Ph.D., Professor, College of Engineering, University of Porto, has received the 2014 William V. Cruess Award for his mastery of process engineering subjects, ability to communicate effectively the principles and practices of food processing, enthusiasm for the field of food engineering as a profession, ability to stimulate students to select a professional career in this field, and capacity to counsel effectively.

Malcata has been teaching several university courses in the food science and technology field since 1988. Besides his direct involvement in establishing the first B.Sc. degree in Portugal, he has designed innovative syllabi and invested in novel learning methods. He has consistently earned some of the highest scores from students on teaching skills, as well as complimentary evaluations highlighting his unique enthusiasm and ability to deliver concepts, rationalize processes, and motivate students. He also contributed to evaluating and improving several degrees, besides writing 10 books covering various aspects of training and strategy and delivering more than 150 invited lectures worldwide. His excellence as an instructor has been previously recognized by Elmer Marth’s Educator Award granted by the International Association of Food Protection.

Carl R. Fellers Award

H. Russell Cross, Ph.D., Head, Texas A&M University Dept. of Animal Science, is the 2014 Carl R. Fellers Award recipient for his outstanding work to improve the field of food science, inspire food engineers and scientists, and provide leadership to IFT and Phi Tau Sigma (ΦΤΣ).

Cross has been published extensively and has given over 200 presentations. He was Administrator of U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Food Safety & Inspection Service under Presidents Bush and Clinton. He established and is President of the National Association for the Advancement of Animal Science, charged with lobbying federal funding sources to support animal research at the university level.

Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award

Buhler Barth GMBH has received the 2014 Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award for its research to preserve the hygienic and sanitary quality of foods in order to maintain the highest food safety standards for the sake of the health of the consumer and development of the Controlled Condensation Pasteurization Process (CCP), which was designed specifically to answer requirements to maintain natural quality of raw almonds. The CCP pasteurization technology pasteurizes particulate food items under humid conditions and controlled condensation of steam at the product surface. The CCP pasteurization technology is an impressive example of straightforward technological development in combination with engineering skills on sound physical principles and by strictly observing quality requirements of food products.

W.K. Kellogg International Food Security Award and Lectureship

Olive Yao Li, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, has received the 2014 W.K. Kellogg International Food Security Award and Lectureship for her research work on microencapsulation-based delivery systems that resulted in technology that can serve as a template for effective delivery of micronutrients in sizes comparable with the chosen food vehicles.

With more than 20 years’ experience in research, teaching, and industrial services across the United States, Canada, and China, Li has a good overview of the field of food science and technology and particularly strong expertise in novel ingredient delivery technologies for applications in fortified and functional foods. This international, multidisciplinary background enables her to continue making contributions through current teaching and research and to stay active in various professional activities ranging from scientific program assessments, manuscript reviews, to industrial consultation. Li’s research and teaching represent the best aspects of food processing engineering.

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Gilbert A. Leveille Award and Lectureship

John Erdman Jr., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, has received the 2014 Gilbert A. Leveille Award and Lectureship for his outstanding scholarly contributions. His recent contributions relate to bioactives in foods that have functional health impact. His group focuses primarily on carotenoids and their ability to fight cancer.

Erdman is one of the nation’s top leaders in food science and nutrition. He has more than 190 peer-reviewed publications and has received several national awards for teaching and research from professional societies including IFT and the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). He is a fellow of IFT, ASN (also past president), and the American Heart Association, and served for many years on the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), National Academy of Sciences, and has chaired a number of committee reports for IOM. In 2003 he was elected to membership in the IOM.

Marcel Loncin Research Prize

Lisa J. Mauer, Ph.D., Professor, Dept. of Food Science, Director of the Center for Food Safety Engineering, Purdue University, has received the 2014 Marcel Loncin Research Prize for her research on the characterization and manipulation of water-solid interactions for physical and chemical stabilization of powdered food and bioactive ingredient systems and solid state structures with a current emphasis on creating amorphous solid dispersions of bioactive crystalline compounds.

Mauer teaches food chemistry, food ingredient functionality, and food packaging courses at Purdue University. She is a Fellow of the Purdue University Teaching Academy. Examples of her research, for which she has received the Purdue Agriculture Research Award and Faculty Scholar recognitions, include introducing the concepts of deliquescence and deliquescence-lowering to the food science field, improving the understanding of humidity effects on vitamins and other bioactive ingredient stability, and developing spectroscopy methods for the detection of chemical and pathogen contamination of foods.

Bor S. Luh International Award

Theodore Labuza, Ph.D., Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Food Science and Engineering in the Dept. of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, has received the 2014 Bor S. Luh International Award for his outstanding efforts within the food industry and in support of academics worldwide.

Labuza, a Past President of IFT, has graduated 79 M.S. and 30 Ph.D. students and supervised over 45 undergraduate research projects, 45 visiting scientists, and 24 post-docs. Of those who completed a graduate degree or did post-doctoral study under his guidance, 29 are/were faculty members at universities internationally and another six at U.S. academic institutions, illustrating the global reach of his contributions. He has authored over 285 scientific refereed research articles, 18 textbooks, 78 book chapters, eight patents, and more than 110 other semi-technical articles. He was selected as one of the most highly cited scientists in the area of Agriculture and Food Science based on citations to refereed research publications. Labuza has given over 1,000 invited technical and general lectures on food science and technology. He teaches courses in food physical chemistry, reaction kinetics, food safety and risk assessment, food processing, functional foods, and food law.

Bernard L. Oser Food Ingredient Safety Award 

Charles Manley, Ph.D., CFS, Retired Vice President, Science and Technology at Takasago International Corp., has received the 2014 Bernard L. Oser Food Ingredient Safety Award for his contributions to the scientific knowledge of the safety of food ingredients and flavors.

Manley has worked in various research and regulatory management positions during his career with major responsibilities in commercializing scientific research. His other professional experiences include serving as President of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) and President of IFT. His activities in these organizations focused on food and flavor ingredient safety. In 2002 he received the University of Massachusetts Chancellor’s Medal for his support to the university. In 2004 he was awarded IFT’s Calvert L. Willey Distinguished Service Award, and in 2007 the Richard L. Hall Award for his work with FEMA on flavor ingredient safety. He has numerous publications in that area.

Samuel Cate Prescott Award

Hang Xiao, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, has received the 2014 Samuel Cate Prescott Award for developing a highly innovative research program focused on improving the health and wellness of the food supply.

Xiao’s long-term research goal is to develop food-based strategies for the prevention of major chronic diseases in humans. Currently, Xiao’s research group is working on identifying potential disease-preventive food components, elucidating their molecular mechanisms, investigating possible synergistic interactions among these food components, and enhancing biological activities and chemical stability of bioactive food components by food processing and nanotechnology. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has been awarded more than $4 million in research grants by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, and the National Academy of Sciences.

Research and Development Award

Kevin Keener, Ph.D., Professor of Food Science, Purdue University, has received the 2014 Research and Development Award for his research program that enhances food quality and food safety, improves processing efficiencies, and reduces waste in food manufacturing.

Keener’s Purdue program promotes economically sustainable practices in the food industry through engagement with entrepreneurs, food companies, university researchers, students, and government agencies. He is a recognized expert in food safety, food processing, and food technology. His support of the food industry and food entrepreneurs has been recognized with numerous awards including the Macy Food Science and Technology Award, Nolan Mitchell Young Extension Award, American Egg Board Research Award, and the IAFIS-FPEI Emerging Food Engineer Award. In addition, he was recently named a Distinguished Fulbright Chair.

Sensory and Consumer Sciences Achievement Award

Herbert Stone, Ph.D., CFS, co-founder of the Sensory Evaluation Division and Past President, Tragon Corp., received the 2014 Sensory and Consumer Sciences Achievement Award for profoundly impacting the field of sensory science, most notably with his development of the Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA), which revolutionized how sensory scientists map the characteristics of foods and beverages.

Stone was a teaching assistant for the first sensory evaluation course offered at University of California, Davis, with Rose Marie Pangborn. He developed QDA while at Stanford Research Institute. Stone has taught sensory evaluation for more than 50 years in more than 50 countries; has more than 150 publications; and is coauthor of Sensory Evaluation Practices. Stone serves as an independent consultant and is Scientific Editor for Sensory and Quality for the Journal of Food Science and chairs the Sensory Sciences Scholarship Fund.

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Trailblazer Award and Lectureship

Johanna T. Dwyer, D.Sc., R.D., Professor of Medicine and Senior Nutrition Scientist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center and Senior Nutrition Scientist (contractor), Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, has received the 2014 Trailblazer Award and Lectureship for her exceptional nutrition knowledge, respect for other cultures, and understanding of food issues.

Dwyer received her D.Sc. and M.Sc. from Harvard School of Public Health and M.S. from the University of Wisconsin. She is the author and coauthor of over 270 research articles and 300 review articles. Dwyer serves as the editor of Nutrition Today and coeditor of the Handbook of Nutrition and Food. She served on the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee and is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine National Academy Sciences.

Calvert L. Willey Distinguished Service Award

Robert Gravani, Ph.D., CFS, Professor of Food Science and Director of the National Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Program at Cornell University, has received the 2014 Calvert L. Willey Distinguished Service Award for providing continuous, outstanding service and stewardship to IFT for more than 45 years by serving in leadership positions on more than 40 committees, task forces, workgroups, and juries, including serving on the Board of Directors and as Past President.

Gravani joined IFT as a student and has been a lifelong member. He has always been an active and engaged member of IFT and currently serves as Chair of Feeding Tomorrow, the Foundation of IFT, and advisor to the IFT Student Association Fun Run committee. In addition, he is a Fellow of IFT and has represented IFT at numerous Section and Division meetings domestically and internationally.

2014 IFT Fellows

The following Members have honored as IFT Fellows, a designation that recognizes individuals with outstanding qualifications and experience who have made important contributions to the field of food science and technology.

Diane M. Barrett, Ph.D., Fruit & Vegetable Products Cooperative Extension Specialist, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, University of California-Davis

Barrett is a liaison between the fruit and vegetable industries of California and her university colleagues. As part of her extension program, she conducts timely short courses on fruit and vegetable quality evaluation and processing methods such as fresh-cut, low-acid canning, freezing, juice, aseptic, high pressure, and electric field processing. Barrett also carries out applied research and is intrigued with optimizing raw fruit and vegetable quality and applying processing methods that preserve the color, texture, flavor, and nutrient content of products. For over 10 years, she has directed the University of California-Davis site for the National Science Foundation Center for Advanced Processing & Packaging.

Eric A. Decker, Ph.D., Dept. Head, Dept. of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Decker is actively conducting research to characterize mechanisms of lipid oxidation, antioxidant protection of foods, and the health implications of bioactive lipids. Decker has over 325 publications and is listed as one of the Most Highly Cited Scientists in Agriculture. He has served on numerous committees, including with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Institute of Medicine. At IFT, he has been Chair of both the Food Chemistry and Muscle Foods Divisions and was Chair of the Peer-Review Journal and Sections and Division Committees. His research has been recognized by awards from the American Oil Chemists’ Society, the Agriculture and Food Chemistry Division of American Chemical Society, and the International Life Sciences Institute. He received the IFT Research and Development, Stephen S. Chang, and Samuel Cate Prescott Awards.

Bruce R. Hamaker, Ph.D., Roy L. Whistler Distinguished Chair Professor of Food Science, Purdue University

Hamaker is Director of the Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research and co-Director of the International Food Technology Center at Purdue. His research is well-known in the area of food carbohydrates and proteins with applications related to topics of health and wellness. In this regard, he has a number of clinical and nutrition-related collaborations. He also is active in international research collaborations in Africa and Asia, and has more than three decades of experience working in developing countries. He received the IFT Bor S. Luh International Award and W.K. Kellogg International Food Security Award and Lectureship.

Anthony W. Kotula, Ph.D., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (retired)

Kotula’s research career at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) improved the quality and safety of poultry and meat. His studies of chlorine to control microbial contamination during poultry processing supplemented with rat data allowed the USDA and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review and approve the use of chlorine. His studies of Trichinella spiralis resulted in new USDA regulations for cooking and cold certification of pork. His studies of Toxoplasma gondii resulted in the USDA stating that the current regulations for the destruction of T. spiralis also destroy T. gondii. During his 25-year tenure as Supervisory Research Leader of the Meat Science Research Laboratory, the laboratory became internationally recognized as a center of excellence for research on meat quality, grading, nutrient composition, textural properties, analytical methods, and microbiological safety and quality. Kotula also received the IFT Carl R. Fellers Award.

Keshun Liu, Ph.D., Research Chemist at U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service

Throughout his diverse career with industry, academia, and government, Liu has made outstanding contributions to the chemistry and technology of soybeans, grains, and legumes. He has carried out several high impact research works, including elucidation of chemical changes and modification of dry-grind processing of grains for ethanol production, high moisture extrusion of soy proteins into fake meats, barley and oat fractionation, analytical method development, and mechanistic elucidation for the hard-to-cook phenomenon in legume seeds. Liu is an internationally known expert on soybeans and soy foods, has published 104 papers and four reference books, organized/co-organized two conferences and 37 symposia, and given 92 presentations. He has served IFT as Chair of the Product Development Division, a member of committees for several Divisions, and an organizer for 11 IFT symposia. He is also a fellow of American Oil Chemists’ Society.

Robert McGorrin, Ph.D., CFS, Dept. Head and Jacobs-Root Professor at Oregon State University

McGorrin is recognized for his leadership accomplishments in academic and global food industry organizations, and his significant contributions in flavor research. He is an internationally renowned expert in flavor chemistry research. He has conducted extensive flavor short courses, organized symposia, and published books. His publications include four books on identification of key aroma compounds in dairy foods and oat cereals, understanding interactions among food and flavor components, and effects of thermal processing on flavor generation and deterioration. At Oregon State he expanded the department into new flavor, brewing, value-added, and enology and viticulture programs, and significantly increased undergraduate enrollments. At Kraft Foods R&D, he led strategic research programs that delivered innovations for long-range direction and growth. McGorrin has served as Chair of the Fermented Foods & Beverages Division, Higher Education Review Board, and Council of Food Science Administrators.

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Olga I. Padilla-Zakour, Ph.D., Professor of Food Processing and Associate Chair, Dept. of Food Science, Cornell University

Padilla-Zakour is Professor of Food Processing and Director of the Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship at Cornell University. She obtained her B.S. in food science from the University of Costa Rica in 1983 and her doctorate in Food Science and Technology from Cornell University in 1991. She devotes her time to mentoring students and colleagues, supporting the food industry, and conducting applied research enhancing the safety and quality of plant-based food products. Her academic foundation and industrial experience have been fully integrated into her professional work, which has positively impacted 2,300 processors and entrepreneurs for the commercialization of 8,800 food products. She joined IFT in 1981 as a student and has been very active ever since, serving in numerous leadership roles. She also received the IFT Elizabeth Fleming Stier Award.

Octavio Paredes-Lopez, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute

Paredes-Lopez has created scientific and technological groups in food science and food biotechnology in Mexico and has trained numerous Latin American scientists. He has emphasized the rational utilization of Latin American food crops by industrial firms. The author of 201 scientific papers in refereed international journals, plus 19 in refereed Latin American journals; 35 refereed scientific reviews and chapters in books, plus 22 chapters in books and monographs in Spanish. He is coauthor/editor of five books (three in English with CRC Press and two in Spanish) and has written 128 diffusion articles (mostly on the role of science and innovation in society) published in newspapers and journals, mainly in Spanish, for general audiences. In total, he has 407 published works. His publications have been cited over 3,500 times.

Rukma Reddy, Ph.D., Research Food Technologist, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Reddy is recognized for outstanding research contributions to food safety, especially control of Clostridium botulinum in extended shelf-life foods by various processing technologies, dry bean technology, and food phytates. He is engaged in internationally important research that addresses food processing technologies such as modified atmosphere packaging and high pressure processing that evaluates their effectiveness in controlling health hazards associated with Clostridium botulinum in low-acid shelf-stable and refrigerated food products. His research successfully addressed conflicting reports regarding the risk of botulism from the consumption of modified atmosphere packaged fresh fish products. He has published four books (coauthored two and coedited two), 19 book chapters, and 54 peer-reviewed papers. He served on technical program and graduate paper competition committees of Food Microbiology, Food Chemistry, and Nonthermal Processing Divisions and received an Outstanding Volunteer Member award from the Nonthermal Processing Division.

Juan L. Silva, Ph.D., Professor, Food Processing, Safety and Quality, Dept. of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion/Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station/Mississippi State University

Silva is a Professor and Researcher in the department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion at Mississippi State University. A native of Venezuela, he has a B.S. and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering and Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology. He works in food processing, quality, and safety, with an emphasis on seafood and produce. He has graduated 65 graduate students and has published over 150 manuscripts. He has conducted over 150 training sessions at the local, national, and international level. Some of the training areas are GAPs, GMPs, HACCP, canned foods, food quality, refrigeration and freezing, and food safety legislation. He is an active food consultant and active in the international education and outreach arena. He is a past IFT Board Member, past Chair of various divisions, and was Executive-Secretary of Phi Tau Sigma (ΦΤΣ).

Juming Tang, Ph.D., Regents Professor and Distinguished Chair of Food Engineering, Washington State University

Tang has trained 26 Ph.D. students and published over 240 scientific papers, three books, and 24 book chapters. Tang’s laboratory developed 915 MHz Single-mode Microwave Assisted Sterilization (MATS) and Pasteurization (MAP) technologies for packaged foods. It received the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acceptance in 2009 for processing of packaged potatoes in trays, the second FDA acceptance in 2010 for salmon fillets in pouches, and a non-objection letter from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service in 2011 for meat and poultry products. Tang is Past President of the International Microwave Power Institute and past Chair of the IFT Food Engineering Division. He has received numerous awards, including the 2010 IFT Research and Development Award and 2012 International Food Engineer Award of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers/Nestle. Tang is a Fellow of the International Microwave Power Institute and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

Pamela J. White, Ph.D., Dean for the College of Human Sciences and Professor in the Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University

White has served the profession in many ways, including serving as Vice-Chair of the Food Additives Expert Committee of the U.S. Pharmacopeia, Chair of the Board on Human Sciences, and President of the American Oil Chemists’ Society. She was also Chair of the Carbohydrate Division and Chair of the Starch Round Table Board of the American Association of Cereal Chemists International. She received IFT’s 2009 Stephen S. Chang Award for significant research and development contributions to the understanding of food science, food technology, or nutrition, and the 2010 Food Chemistry Division Lecturer Award.

Raymond J. Winger, Ph.D., CFS, Emeritus Professor of Food Technology, Massey University

Winger has more than 45 years’ experience in the food industry in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the United States, and Europe. He has worked in the meat and health food industries, as an international agribusiness consultant, and for 20 years as Logan Campbell Chair (Professor) of Food Technology at Massey. He moved to the United Kingdom in 2010, establishing his own company, Inside Foods Ltd., which makes prepared meals, soups, and sauces for people with medical conditions. He has a particular interest in creating pragmatic food solutions to address nutritional problems in modern society. Winger has been on several IFT committees and was one of the first of two international board members, serving from 2010–2013.

Suk Hoo Yoon, Ph.D., President, Korea Food Research Institute

Yoon has been working on lipid chemistry and lipid biotechnology for 35 years as a Fellow of International Society of Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology. He was the President of Korea Food Research Institute and the President of Korean Society of Food Science and Technology. He received his Ph.D. from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology after graduating from Seoul National University. He was appointed as a Visiting Professor at the Ohio State University and at the University of California, Irvine. He is a current Chair of the Biotechnology Division of American Oil Chemists’ Society and is concurrently a Chair of the Asian Section. He is an Editor of Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology. A former football player, he is an American football commentator on a nationwide television network in Korea.

Howard Q. Zhang, Ph.D., Director, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center

Zhang has been the Center Director for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Western Regional Research Center (WRCC) in California since 2009. WRRC is known for food safety, value-added processing, plant genetics, and natural resource management. He led 72 scientists who published 190 peer-reviewed journal articles and were granted five patents in 2013. He received his Ph.D. from Washington State University (1992), and was appointed Assistant (1994), Associate (1999), and Full (2003) Professor at The Ohio State University. Zhang then joined the USDA in 2004. He is a pioneer of pulsed electric field technology and ultrasonic sealing. He authored six U.S. patents, 100 journal publications, 40 invited talks, and 150 presentations. Zhang received IFT’s Samuel Cate Prescott Award and the Research and Development Associates’ Isker Award. He has served as Chair of IFT’s Nonthermal Processing Division and President of the Chinese American Food Society.