Source: Sajid Alavi, 785-532-2403, salavi@k-state.edu
http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/alavibio.html
Pronouncer: Sajid is Saw-jed and Alavi is A-lah-vay
Photo available. Contact media@k-state.edu or 785-532-6415.
News release prepared by: Katie Mayes, 785-532-6415, kmayes@k-state.edu

Monday, April 19, 2010

K-STATE'S SAJID ALAVI RECOGNIZED FOR EARLY CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY ASSOCIATION OF CEREAL CHEMISTS

MANHATTAN -- Sajid Alavi, associate professor of grain science and industry at Kansas State University, has received the 2010 Young Research Scientist Award from AACC International, formerly the American Association of Cereal Chemists.

The honor is presented to a scientist younger than 40 for contributions to basic and applied cereal science research.

"It is indeed a great honor to be recognized by one's peers in such a way," Alavi said. "My area of specialization extrusion is a widely used processing technology for food, feed, pet food and industrial products, and will play an increasing role in meeting the challenges of adding value to agricultural commodities and providing safe and nutritious foods for an increasing global population.

"Extrusion research has been my passion for more than a decade as it combines my background in engineering and interest in biomolecules and their behavior during processing," he said.

Since Alavi came to K-State in 2002, he has made significant contributions to advancing cereal science knowledge and the extrusion processing of food, feed and industrial value-added products.

Alavi was promoted to associate professor in 2008 and heads K-State's Extrusion Lab at the Bioprocessing and Industrial Value Added Program -- or BIVAP -- facility. He works closely with a team of staff and students to perform extensive research, teaching, industry and service-related activities that have transformed the facility into an internationally recognized extrusion research and education program. In addition, the lab has become a major service provider to industrial clients involved in pet food, aqua feed and food production.

"We are extremely proud of Dr. Alavi and the fact that his significant contributions to this important field are being recognized by his peers with this prestigious early career award," said Dirk Maier, head of K-State's department of grain science and industry. "In the future, we expect his impact to continue to grow and benefit our students, programs and stakeholders in Kansas and beyond."

Alavi also will be invited to give a special lecture at this year's annual meeting of the AACC International in October.

Alavi researches extrusion processing, a continuous cooking technology used to make a variety of food and that has non-food industrial applications. Products commonly made by extrusion include cheese puffs, pasta, breakfast cereals, pet food and aquatic feed. He also studies food microstructure imaging; structure-texture relationships; and rheology, the science of flow of food materials that behave in an interesting or unusual manner.

Alavi's research has been presented at professional meetings across the country. He has published extensively and has been an invited speaker at various national and international forums. He has developed strong collaborative linkages in countries such as India, Mozambique, Egypt, Brazil, Norway and Pakistan. He also regularly conducts extrusion short courses for industrial clients at K-State and internationally.

He is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers; Institute of Food Technologists; and the AACC International, where he has served as secretary/treasurer of the Rheology Division. He also is a member of Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society for agriculture.

Alavi has a bachelor's in agricultural engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur, India; a master's in agricultural and biological engineering from Penn State University; and a doctorate in food science and food engineering from Cornell University.