NSF Award
2419926
As the global population grows, so does the need for food. As food demand grows, people are also becoming more particular about food quality. They want food that is ethically produced, sustainable, safe, nutritious, and tailored to special health needs or life stages. To meet these demands, we need innovative ways to develop, produce, and store food. This is where a global collaboration between the United States and New Zealand becomes crucial. New Zealand is known worldwide for its advanced food research capabilities. In this project, we will work with our colleagues at the University of Otago in New Zealand to train diverse US engineering students in food science and innovation. The IRES funding will support six demographically diverse US undergraduate engineering students each year for three years. The students will spend eight weeks every summer in New Zealand, gaining international research and cross-cultural educational experience that will boost their professional growth. Imagine students working on projects such as examining the nutritional value of novel protein sources, studying how processing affects plant-based foods, discovering and validating new food nutrients that help to manage diseases, and using chemical analysis to ensure food safety and quality. The experience will provide the students with new capabilities to address food challenges in the US. We will leverage the project to promote STEM education among K-12 students, particularly female and minority students. The project is about equipping future engineers in the US with the skills and experiences they need to innovate in the food industry, ensuring a sustainable and quality food supply for generations to come.<br/><br/>The growing global population has heightened the demand for food, with consumers seeking ethically and sustainably sourced, safe, nutritious, and specialized food options. Innovations in food development, manufacturing, processing, and storage that leverage international research collaborations are essential for creating sustainable global food technologies. This project aims to establish a collaborative research program between the United States and New Zealand to train diverse US engineering students in interdisciplinary food science and innovation. New Zealand is globally recognized for its advanced food research and industry capabilities. We collaborate with our colleagues in the Department of Food Science at the University of Otago, a leader in food science, to provide the infrastructure and expertise to train the students. The IRES funding will support six diverse undergraduate engineering students each year for three years, providing them with an eight-week summer research training program in New Zealand. The IRES project will enable US engineering students to participate in food innovation research projects in New Zealand, equipping them with technical skills and practical knowledge. The projects will include nutrient profiling of novel protein sources, effects of food processing on plant-based foods, bioinformatics discovery of bioactive peptides, and chemical fingerprinting for food safety and traceability. The students gain hands-on experience with advanced food science concepts and techniques. The opportunity provides comprehensive international research and cross-cultural educational experience to enhance their professional and personal development. The project provides the future workforce of the US food industry with new capabilities in food innovation and sustainability. Additionally, it serves as a platform for K-12 outreach, promoting STEM education among female and minority students.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
