Our Team
Ganjyal Lab team!
Summer of 2026
Staff
Cathy Blood
Events Coordinator
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Tonia Green
Research Intern
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Hannah Johnson
Laboratory Manager
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Laboratory Alumni
- Bruno Costa – Post Doctorate 2024-2025
- Bon-Jae Gu – Post Doctorate, Research Topic: Extrusion Processing
- Nattapon Kaisangsri – Exchange Ph. D. Student from Thailand
- Peter Gray – Technical Staff – Retired
- Ilce ‘Gaby’ Medina-Meza – Post Doctorate 2014-2016 Research Topic: Thermal Processing of Foods. Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI LinkedIn
- Ewa Pietrysiak – Post Doctorate 2019 – 2021, Research Topic: Food processing and food safety
- Katarzyna Skrzypczak – Post Doctorate 2022 – 2023, Research Topic: Pulse proteins
- Shweta Suri – Post Doctorate 2024-2025
- Bhim Thapa – PhD student at Washington State University
- Isuru Wijesekara – Post Doctorate 2014-2015. Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
- Angelina Zack – Lab technician 2021-2022
Graduate Students
Aniket
Current PhD Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2027.
Project: Focused on extrusion processing, thermo-rheology, and structure–function relationships of plant proteins for developing meat analogs.
Project: Focused on extrusion processing, thermo-rheology, and structure–function relationships of plant proteins for developing meat analogs.
Anthony ‘AJ’ Arp
Current PhD Student. Expected date of graduation: May 2029.
Project: Focused on ingredient functionality and thermo-mechanical properties within extrusion processing.
LinkedIn
Project: Focused on ingredient functionality and thermo-mechanical properties within extrusion processing.
Hawthorne Clement
Current PhD Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2028
Project: Gluten-free product development with a focus on using pulses and alternative grains.
Project: Gluten-free product development with a focus on using pulses and alternative grains.
Emmersyn Laundry
Current Master’s Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2028.
Project: Focused on extrusion processing, thermo-product development using pulse flours.
Project: Focused on extrusion processing, thermo-product development using pulse flours.
Sahil
Current PhD Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2028.
Project: Focused on texturization of plant proteins using extrusion.
Project: Focused on texturization of plant proteins using extrusion.
Vashikee Senevirathne
Current Master’s Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2026.
Project: Focused on comprehensive characterization, functionality testing, protein fractionation and product development of Popping beans (Nuna Beans).
Linkedin
Project: Focused on comprehensive characterization, functionality testing, protein fractionation and product development of Popping beans (Nuna Beans).
Steven Verver
Current Master’s Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2027.
Project: Focused on texturization of plant proteins by low-moisture extrusion and manufacturing of cultured meat edible scaffolds.
Linkedin
Project: Focused on texturization of plant proteins by low-moisture extrusion and manufacturing of cultured meat edible scaffolds.
Lei Zhang
Current Master’s Student. Expected date of graduation: December 2025.
Project: Focused on the relationship between the functional and physicochemical characteristics of buckwheat ingredients and their applications in food products.
Linkedin
Project: Focused on the relationship between the functional and physicochemical characteristics of buckwheat ingredients and their applications in food products.
Graduates
- Josh Bernin, PhD – Graduated December 2025. LinkedIn profile.
- Preston Watanabe, MS – Graduated December 2025. LinkedIn profile.
- Elizabeth Nalbandian, PhD – Graduated December 2025. LinkedIn profile.
- Caleb Wagner, PhD – Graduated July 2024, Current Position: Senior Product and Process Development Engineer at Mars Petcare LinkedIn profile.
- Jana Richter, PhD – Graduated December 2023 LinkedIn profile.
- Gabriely Soncin Alfaro, MS – Graduated July 2023
- Mahvash Rezaey, MS – Graduated July 2023. LinkedIn profile.
- Marina L Ikuse, MS – Graduated: May 2023, Current Position: LinkedIn profile.
- Lovepreet Singh, MS – Graduated December 2023 LinkedIn profile.
- Debomitra Dey, PhD – Graduated May 2022. Current position: Advanced Application Scientist at Anton Paar USA LinkedIn profile.
- Halle Choi, MS – Graduated May 2022 LinkedIn profile.
- Pichmony Ek, PhD – Graduated: December 2021. Current position: Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. LinkedIn profile.
- Kejia Gu, MS – Graduated December 2021 Current Position: Flavor Analyst at IFF LinkedIn profile.
- Irene Rangira, MS – Graduated May 2020. Ph.D. student in Canada. LinkedIn profile.
- Ewa Pietrysiak, PhD – Graduated July 2019, Current Position: Director of Marketing/Innovation: USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council LinkedIn profile.
- Elvis Baidoo, MS – Graduated May 2019
- Yujing Zhu, MS Graduated May 2019 LinkedIn profile.
- Bon-Jae Gu, PhD – Graduated in December 2019 Current Position: Assistant Professor, Kongju National University, South Korea LinkedIn profile.
- Gaurav Dhumal, MS – Graduated: December 2017, Current Position: Senior Scientise at ICL Food Specialties LinkedIn profile.
- Siyuan Wang, PhD – Graduated: December 2017, Current Position: Research Scientist at Chi Forest LinkedIn profile.
- Ryan Kowalski, PhD – Graduated: May 2017, Current Position: Process Specialist at Hill’s Pet Nutrition LinkedIn profile.
- Nancy D. Asen, MS – Graduated: May 2017, Current Position: Graduate Student, Canada LinkedIn profile.
- Maria Dian Pratiwi Masli, MS – Graduated: May 2017, Current Position: Product Development Scientist, Jakarata, Indonesia LinkedIn profile.
- Nicole Aluwi, MS – Graduated: May 2016, Current Position: Principal Food Scientist at Schwan’s Company LinkedIn profile.
- Chongjun Li, MS – Graduated: May 2016, Current Position: Senior Food Technologist at Trident Seafoods LinkedIn profile.
- Sravya Kallu, MS – Graduated: August 2015, Current Position: Engineering Manager, Beyond Meat LinkedIn profile.
- Trent Millin, MS – Graduated: July 2014. LinkedIn profile.
Current Undergraduate Students
- Ashter Kanski, January 2026 to date. Sophomore, Agricultural Education. WSU.
- Oscar Wise, Spring 2024 to date. Freshman, Food Science. WSU.
- Lauren Crisostomo, Fall 2023 to date. Freshman, Food Science. WSU.
- Violeta Varela, Summer 2026 to date. Senior, Food Science and Management Information Systems. U of I.
- Tori Parham, Summer 2026 to date. Junior, Microbiology. WSU
- Morgan Marshall, Summer 2026 to date. Junior, Chemistry. WSU.
- Piper West, Summer 2026 to date. Sophomore, Food Science. WSU
Undergraduate Student Alumni
- Christine Chen, Summer 2024 to 2025. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- Tyler Arlington, Summer 2024 to Spring 2026. Junior. Food Science. WSU.
- Kimberly Baxley, Spring 2024 to 2025 Junior. Food Science. WSU.
- Natalie Christine Camerino, Fall 2022 to Spring 2026. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- Saskia Steltman, Spring 2023 to Spring 2026. Food Science. WSU.
- Macie Ann Loutherback, Spring 2023 to 2025. Junior. Food Science. Univ. of Idaho.
- Jessica Landis, Fall 2022 to 2025. Food Science. WSU.
- Margaret McGlothern, Spring 2021 to Spring 2024. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- Hallie Janae Simpson, Spring 2023 to Fall 2023. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- Daun Park, Summer 2023. Junior. Pullman High School.
- Bradley Stephen Lubeck, Fall 2019 to Spring 2023. Food Science. WSU.
- Breana Downs, Summer 2022. Junior. Biology. Pacific Lutheran University.
- Marek Alexander Fitos-Link, Fall 2022. Freshman. Food Science. WSU.
- Luuvan Nguyen Hoang, Spring 2019 to Spring 2022. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- Elizabeth Bitar Nalbandian, Fall 2019 to Summer 2022. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- Alissa Marie Jilk, Fall 2020 to Spring 2021. Junior. Ag. Ed.. WSU.
- Elea Joy Van Weerdhuizen, Fall 2019 to Spring 2021. Junior. Ag. Ed.. WSU.
- Marina L Ikuse, Spring 2019 to Spring 2021. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- James Lawrence, Fall 2019 to Spring 2020. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- August Scellick Wavra, Summer 2019 to Spring 2020. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- Ivy Klopher. Summer 2018 to Summer 2020. Senior. Food Science. WSU.
- Preston Watanabe. Fall 2017 to Fall 2019. Junior. Food Science. WSU.
- Lauren Rose Rooney. Summer 2019 to Spring 2020. Food Science. WSU.
- Rebeca Velasquez Morales. Summer 2019 to Fall 2019. Food Science. WSU.
- Christopher Kerr. 2019. School of Chemical Engineering, WSU.
- Julianne Kummer. 2019. Food Science, WSU.
- Greg Housley. 2018. Food Science, WSU.
- Katy Lobeda. 2018. Food Science, Virginia Tech.
- Lyssa Blood. 2018. Electrical Engineering, Gonzaga University.
- Cristen Frieszell. 2018. Food Science, WSU.
- John Johnson. 2018. Food Science, WSU.
- Serena Ranney. 2018. Food Science, WSU.
- Jacob Hause. 2018. Food Science, WSU.
- Victoria Wilk. 2017. Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY.
- Arjun Dangi. 2017. Mechanical Engineering, WSU.
- Henry Campbell. 2017. Food Science, WSU.
- Puspita Hamijoyo, 2017. Food Science, WSU.
- Arianne W. Kreger. 2017. Food Science, WSU.
- Oscar R. Ulloa. 2017. Food Science, WSU.
- Kristen Sparkman. 2016. Food Science, WSU.
- Chongjun Li. 2015. Food Science, WSU.
- Jacob Blaylock. 2015. Food Science, WSU.