2020 Harraways Visiting Professor named

A world-class food engineering educator and researcher has been named this year's Harraways 1867 Visiting Professor as a guest of the University of Otago.

University of California's Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Food Engineering Dr R. Paul Singh.

Professor Singh is highly recognised in the field of food engineering education, research, development, consultation and technology transfer programs.

Professor Singh will give workshops and public lectures in Dunedin and Auckland during his August visit, and also attend the Institute of Food Science and Technology 20th World Congress in Auckland.

Head of Department of Food Science Professor Indrawati Oey says through these forums Professor Singh will share his knowledge and experience with University of Otago staff and students, the food science community and wider public.

Professor Singh's career has advanced the application of mathematical and computational techniques to improve the sustainability of industrial food processes.

Working with research students, he has developed novel food processing equipment such as a fruit and vegetable processing system for NASA's manned mission to Mars.

Professor Singh has also created free access online learning and teaching resources for food science and engineering education, and co-authored the highly acclaimed textbook Introduction to Food Engineering that is used worldwide and translated into six languages.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne says Professor Singh's knowledge of food engineering will be hugely beneficial to the University of Otago's teaching and research, and for the provision of advice and service to the food industry.

His visit in August this year will build on the success of the previous two visits by Belgian researcher Professor Marc Hendrickx and Professor Rickey Yada of the University of British Columbia.

Dunedin's Harraway and Sons Ltd made the annual visit by an eminent scholar possible for five years as part its 150th anniversary of starting operations with a steam-powered flourmill.

For more information, contact:

Professor Indrawati Oey
Department of Food Science
University of Otago
Email indrawati.oey@otago.ac.nz