The Protein and Co-Products Division Student Excellence Award recognizes graduate students presenting an outstanding oral or poster presentation within the Protein and Co-Products technical program at the AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo.
What does the recipient receive?
- Certificate
- Complimentary AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo registration
- Complimentary Division Networking Event ticket
- Up to US $500 travel allowance
- Opportunity to present your research at the AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo
Who is eligible?
Graduate students presenting within the Division’s technical program at the AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo who have never received the Protein and Co-Products Division Student Excellence Award before.
How do I nominate someone?
Login to the Awards Portal to submit the following application materials.
- Complete application questions using the Awards Portal
- Letter of support from the student’s academic advisor
- At least one other letter of support from anyone familiar with the student’s academic endeavors
- University transcripts
- Detailed Curriculum Vitae
- Abstract submitted for the current year’s AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo
Most Recent Recipient
Mario Melendez
Mario Melendez, originally from Honduras, is a Ph.D. student in Food Science at LSU, focusing on bioreactors and food by-product utilization. He has over nine years of experience in the food industry and previously developed antimicrobial nanotechnology for the cantaloupe sector. Mario is a member of AOCS, IFT, and Phi Tau Sigma, and actively participates in professional conferences.
Oluwafemi Coker
Femi Coker is a lecturer in Food Technology at The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, specializing in food processing, storage, and product development. He is passionate about reducing post-harvest loss and advancing sustainable food systems. Femi is an active member of NIFST, IUFoST, and NIM, and regularly attends international conferences.
Selvi Secil Sahin
Selvi Secil Sahin is a Ph.D. student at the University of Leeds, specializing in innovative food technologies. Her research focuses on food encapsulation, emulsions, plant proteins, and edible oil technology. A member of AOCS since 2021, she won first prize for her e-poster in the Processing Division at the AOCS Annual Meeting.
Ishita Ghosh
PhD candidate, Food Science
Pennsylvania State University, USA
State College, PA, United States
Sedoten Ogun
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Lincoln, NE, United States