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South Dakota State University Klingbeil Endowed Department Head of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Kasiviswanathan “Muthu” Muthukumarappan was awarded the International Food Security Award in honor of Bor S. Luh by the Institute of Food Technologists.

The award is given annually at the institute’s IFT First conference, the largest global food science and innovation expo. It goes to a person or team who exemplifies leadership to drive informative change in the global food system and whose research has made substantial advancements in food manufacturing related to meeting the preferences and nutritional and economical needs of people living in emerging economies.

“On behalf of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, I want to congratulate Dr. Muthukumarappan on this well-deserved recognition,” Joe Cassady, South Dakota Corn Endowed Dean of the college, said. “His contributions as a teacher, mentor, researcher and leader have helped shape the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering as well as our college. I am honored to have had to opportunity to work with him.”

Throughout his nearly three-decade career at ����ֱ��, Muthu, also a Distinguished Professor in the college, has mentored more than 85 undergraduate and graduate students, a notable factor the selection committee considered in its review. Also noted were his leadership on research projects totaling more than $20 million, more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and more than 350 presentations given around the world.

“Muthu’s work has advanced national and international food-processing standards,” the Institute of Food Technologists noted during the presentation of the award. “We appreciate his contributions to the science of food community and are truly honored to celebrate his achievements.”

Adding value to crops important to South Dakota and other areas of the world is at the heart of Muthu’s research. His wide-ranging portfolio includes developing technology to refine all parts of a plant to produce high-value products, such as turning the stems and leaves of a soybean plant that are generally left behind into food for animals, residue for forestry, biofuels and other products to reduce waste. He has also held numerous leadership roles for the Food and Process Engineering Institute, including on its Food Standards Council.

A leader well deserving of this most recent honor, Muthu prefers to celebrate the work of the students he’s helped along the way.

“Being recognized for this award is validation of my professional contribution to food science and education,” Muthu said. “Beyond my accomplishments, I am particularly proud of the students I have served and mentored throughout my career, and what they have achieved.”