INFORM April 2026

AOCS UPDATES | INFORM | 7

INFORM: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO PURSUE A CAREER IN PROCESSING? King: Expand your knowledge base beyond your current comfort zone and treasure

the interconnections. Try and become a polymath as opposed to over specialization in your field. However, an oil-fat-lipid base can serve you well when unexpected opportunities come up to use this knowledge base. Try and

leave a legacy of educational outreach and become a sponsor/supporter in the societies you belong to. Giving back is key to achieving some degree of success along with nurturing the careers of others.

STUDENT EXCELLENCE AWARDEE Yue Wang’s research focuses on upcycling food processing waste using supercritical carbon dioxide for extraction and enzymatic transesterification. Her work aims to advance the development of sustainable, green biorefineries using bioactive compounds from agricultural byproducts. INFORM: WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN FOOD PROCESSING RESEARCH? Wang: My interest in food processing research grew when I realized the huge potential in food waste valorization research. During my studies, I became fascinated by how food processing can transform byproducts into valuable, functional products. Meanwhile, the innovation and development of sustainable processing technologies bring new approaches to create new opportunities for the industry. Moreover, food

processing is the combination of chemistry and engineering which allows me to apply scientific principles to create practical solutions that can make a real impact on the food industry. INFORM: WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST EXCITING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT RESEARCH? Wang: My research focuses on upcycling and adding value to food processing waste. I am especially excited about the potential to design efficient and sustainable processing steps. It feels rewarding to work on solutions that reduce waste while producing functional products. INFORM: IS THERE ONE PROJECT THAT YOU BELIEVE COULD HAVE MEANINGFUL IMPACT? Wang: One project I am particularly proud of is the development of an integrated continuous extraction– reaction system using supercritical carbon dioxide to valorize food processing byproducts. The goal is to combine multiple processing

YUE WANG Doctoral student in Food Science and Technology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, under the advisement of Ozan Ciftci.

Joined AOCS: 2025