Students & Staff

Graduate Students:

Josh Bernin Current Ph.D. Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2026.
Project: Product development and extrusion cooking.

Marina Ikuse Current Master’s Student – The expected date of graduation is Spring 2023.
Project: Extrusion Processing

Julianne Kummer Current Master’s Student – Expected date of graduation December 2023
Project: Effectiveness of surfactants in enhancing the efficacy of the antimicrobials

Mahvash Rezaey Current Master’s Student – The expected date of graduation is Spring 2023.
Project: Finding the correlation between the composition and functional characteristics of the Nuna beans and their popping ability

Jana Richter, Current Ph.D. Student. Expected date of graduation: Fall 2023.
Project: Understanding the molecular interactions between the major food polymers, including starch, protein, and fiber, as impacted by extrusion processing

Lovepreet Singh Current Master’s Student – The expected date of graduation is December 2023.
Project: Effect of Direct Steam Injection and pH change on the functionality of milk protein concentrate powders.

Gabriely Soncin Alfaro Current Master’s Student – The expected date of graduation is Spring 2023.
Project: Quality characteristics and applications of novel wheat varieties

Caleb Wagner Current Ph.D. Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2024.
Project: General food extrusion processing, effect of dietary fiber addition to meat analog, physical mechanisms of texturization and fiber formation in high moisture meat analog, product development.

Graduates:

Nicole Aluwi, MS – Graduated: May 2016, Current Position: Scientist, Lundberg Family Farms, Chico, CA

Nancy D. Asen, MS – Graduated: May 2017, Current Position: Graduate Student, Canada

Elvis Baidoo, MS – Project: Extrusion Processing Characterization of Quinoa Varieties

Debomitra Dey, Ph.D. – Graduated May 2022. Current position:  Extrusion Specialist at CW Brabender, Inc.

Gaurav Dhumal, MS – Graduated: December 2017, Current Position: Extrusion Scientist, Chew Innovation, Boston, MA

Pichmony Ek, Ph.D Graduated: December 2021.  Current position:  Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Bon-Jae Gu, Ph.D. – Graduated in December 2019 Current Position: Assistant Professor, Kongju National University, South Korea

Kejia Gu, MS Graduated December 2021

Sravya Kallu, MS – Graduated: August 2015, Current Position: Product Development Scientist, Beyond Meat, Los Angeles, CA

Ryan Kowalski, Ph.D. – Graduated: May 2017, Current Position: Research Associate, Ingredion Inc., Bridgewater, NJ

Chongjun Li, MS – Graduated: May 2016, Current Position: Product Development Scientist, Lucks Food Decorating Co., Tukwilla, WA

Ewa Pietrysiak, Ph.D. – Graduated Spring 2020, Current Position: Scientist at Benson Hill.

Maria Dian Pratiwi Masli, MS – Graduated: May 2017, Current Position: Product Development Scientist, Jakarata, Indonesia

Trent Millin, MS – Graduated: July 2014, Current Position: Product Development/QA Manager, Valley Processing Inc., Sunnyside, WA

Irene Rangira, MS Graduated May 2020.  Ph.D. student in Canada.

Siyuan Wang, Ph.D. – Graduated: December 2017, Current Position: LSG Sky Chefs-BWI Quality Assurance Supervisor

Yujing Zhu, MS Graduated Spring 2019