Applications for IFT’s Feeding Tomorrow Fund Elwood F. Caldwell Graduate Fellowship Now Open to Food Science Students

CHICAGO – January 5, 2024 – IFT’s Feeding Tomorrow Fund today announced that submissions for the Elwood F. Caldwell Graduate Fellowship are now open. The fellowship, which is designed for students currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program in the science of food, provides a generous stipend to students pursuing research focused on addressing the current and future needs and demands of the global food system. It was created as the result of a more than $1 million endowment from long-time member and IFT Fellow Elwood Caldwell, PhD – the largest one-year graduate gift in the foundation’s more than 35-year history.

Caldwell is widely recognized as one of the pioneers in cereal science for his work as director of research and development for Quaker Oats followed by his leadership role within the University of Minnesota’s Department of Food Science and Nutrition. The Manitoba, Canada, native and author of Breakfast Cereals and How They Are Made passed away in 2018 at the age of 95. In 1991, he was the recipient of the Calvert L. Willey Award for distinguished service to IFT. He was an active member of the Chicago Section and Minnesota Section of IFT. The IFT Sections offer location-based networking opportunities that include social events, educational sessions, philanthropic activities, and special events.

“Elwood Caldwell truly embodied what makes IFT members and the science of food community so special. Thanks to his generosity and the generosity of many others, IFT’s Feeding Tomorrow Fund can support the next generation of food scientists as they pursue careers in the food and beverage industry,” said Steve Hartley, IFT Director of Fund Development.

The 2022 fellowship was awarded to Yutong Li, then a doctoral candidate in food science at The Ohio State University. The inaugural recipient in 2021 was Jonathan Sogin, then a doctoral candidate in food science and technology with a concentration in food microbiology at Cornell University. Sogin previously earned a bachelor’s degree in food science and technology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

The fellowship scholarship is one of 25 graduate and 40 undergraduate scholarships now open via IFT’s Feeding Tomorrow Fund, which encourages, promotes, and rewards the excellence of students pursuing careers in the science of food through various efforts including a variety of academic tuition scholarships. Since 1985, the Institute of Food Technologists through the Feeding Tomorrow Fund has awarded more than 2,700 scholarships totaling over $3 million.

In addition to graduate and undergraduate scholarships, IFT’s Feeding Tomorrow Fund also offers scholarship awards for students with specific criteria such as greatest financial need, those transferring from a community college, and first-generational college enrollment. Applicants for all scholarships must demonstrate a commitment to the science of food profession, which can include, but is not limited to, membership in IFT.

The application deadline for all scholarships is February 26, 2024.

To learn more, please visit IFT's Feeding Tomorrow Scholarships page. Interested students may also email International Scholarship and Tuition Services at [email protected] or IFT at [email protected] to learn more about the application process.

About Institute of Food Technologists

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a global organization of approximately 12,000 individual members from more than 100 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 advance the science of food as the population and the world evolve. IFT believes that science is essential to ensuring a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. For more information, please visit ift.org.

Media Contact

Dennis Van Milligen
Director, Public and Media Relations
Institute of Food Technologists
630-853-3022
[email protected]