Current Researchers and Staff

Edwin Allan

Contact: [email protected]
Résumé (PDF)

Background: Edwin developed his passion for improving value-added agriculture as a youth in his hometown of Damolgu, Ghana, where crop farming is the main occupation.

Education: Edwin received his M.S. in Sustainable Food Systems and is currently a doctoral student at MSU. He received his B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Ghana.

FPDL Involvement: PhD work: Researching the culinary and nutritional quality of Montanan vs. Washington lentils and chickpeas and experimenting with extrusion processing of Montana lentils and chickpeas. Master's work: Edwin led the development of a culturally-sensitive peanut product for smallholder farmers in Kaffrine, Senegal. 

Awards:

• Outstanding Graduate Student in Sustainable Food Systems, Montana State University - 2020 spring semester
• Montana State University’s graduate award in Scholarship Excellence – 2020 spring semester
• Judges’ Choice Award in Montana State University $50K venture competition
• First Place in the Developing Solutions for Developing Countries Competition (DSDC), Institute of Food Technologists 2020 conference

Published works

Other Interests: Playing basketball, reading novels, and playing word games.

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Chidimma Ifeh

Contact: [email protected], LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/chidimma-ifeh

Hometown: Anambra, Nigeria

Education: Chidimma is currently enrolled in MSU's Sustainable Food Systems master's program. She earned a B.S. in Food Science and Technology from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.

FPDL Involvement: Machine learning; PATH program fermentation research; and supporting the Lab's service and outreach projects.

Awards: 

2023

• MSU 3-Minute Thesis, 1st place
• MSU College of EHHD Student Conference Travel Grant
• MSU College of EHHD 3-Minute Thesis, 1st Place 
• MSU Graduate School Graduate Professional Advancement Grant
• MSU 75K Venture, semi-finalist
• Mars Wrigley - Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Research Grant
• MSU College of EHHD Travel Grant

2022

• 2022 MSU College of EHHD Travel Grant

Other interests: Watching sport games, exercising, reading, playing music, and volunteering.

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Ravi Kumar Pirati

Contact: [email protected]

Hometown: Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Education: Pursuing a master's in Chemical Engineering

FPDL Involvement: Developing recipes for extruded lentil texturized vegetable protein, extruded lentil snack puffs, and extruded lentil pasta from lentil starch and protein concentrate using a twin screw pilot scale extruder.

Other Interests: Hiking, playing Badminton and cricket, watching movies and listening to music.