IFANCA endows $300,000 for Dean's Excellence Scholarship in Food Science and Technology

This endowment will grant scholarships to three full-time students in good academic standing who are actively pursuing undergraduates degree within the Department of Food Science and Technology.

The demand for meat and animal-based products is increasing dramatically and will continue to rise with the growing world population. To address this challenge, Reza Ovissipour, Ph.D., is co-leading a USDA-SAS project to develop cell-based meat.

Joseph Awika, professor and department head, will present a report titled "Exploring Linkages Between the Soil Microbiome, Food, and Human Health: A New Report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine" at the IFT FIRST event in Chicago, July 14-17. Awika has been serving on the National Academies committee since 2023.

The Food Science Club held a highly successful cooking competition, engaging students in a Chopped-style contest to create the tastiest dish. Six teams showed their creative side, using ingredients such as jackfruit, sour candy, spicy ketchup and more. 

Coffee stands as a pivotal global commodity, wielding considerable influence over economies and job markets. This new certificate will equip learners with the skills to meet the growing need for adept professionals in the coffee sector.

When Mian Riaz, Ph.D. steps into a classroom, one of his goals is to help students gain insights into the customs and values of different communities by exploring and celebrating the diversity in foods.

Since joining Texas A&M University more than 30 years ago, Riaz has established himself as an internationally recognized expert in religious and ethnic foods as well as in the extrusion technology that forms processed foods into their desired shapes and sizes.

Growing up in San Antonio, Janet Adams ’98 ’01 was surrounded by good food – both at home and in her community.

“My friends always wanted to come to my house after school because my mom would have fresh baked cookies and snacks,” Adams said. “And I really enjoyed the food associated with San Antonio’s Hispanic culture. Growing up around that influence was also educational from a food standpoint.”  

While many students are following their passions through their studies at Texas A&M University, few have traveled as far as Muhammad Bilal Haider to do so.

Through most of his school days in Punjab, Pakistan, Haider harbored dreams of becoming a software engineer. It wasn’t until college approached that he stumbled upon food science — and immediately became enthralled.

Originally from the suburbs of New Orleans, Alisha Patterson always enjoyed cooking and baking, but she found her first real taste for food science through the National FFA Organization’s Agriscience Fair.

Since graduating high school and moving to Texas in 2021, Patterson has continued to enjoy asking questions about food science and finding ways to share the interest with others.

Texas A&M University's National Center for Electron Beam Research hosts the top eBeam and X-ray technology workshop April 15-19, 2024. The workshop will provide practical information on eBeam and X-ray technologies, how to adopt these technologies, and hands-on eBeam dose mapping and dosimetry exercises.

We are delighted to extend a warm invitation to our upcoming Friends of TAMU FSTC dinner celebration in Chicago, July 15, during the IFT FIRST event. Join our faculty, staff and students to reminisce, reconnect and celebrate the enduring spirit of our alma mater.

The TAMU Food Science Club meets Wednesdays at 6 p.m. The club is open to all majors and features meetings with industry professionals as well as opportunities to network, socialize and volunteer.

The department offers many gifting opportunities that will have a lasting impact on our department.

Learn about the many scholarship opportunities available in the department.

Established in 2020, the Department of Food Science and Technology aspires to develop a world-class training, research and outreach program that leads the nation in shaping the future direction of the food science profession, while innovatively meeting the current and emerging needs of stakeholders. The department is invested on unique high-impact education and research programs that apply contemporary and novel technologies in food processing, food safety and quality, and sustainability.

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