Members

Audrey L. Girard, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator

Audrey is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science. She obtained her B.S. in Bakery Science & Management from Kansas State University and her Ph.D. in Food Science & Technology from Texas A&M University. She is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the Cereals and Grains Association (formerly AACCI), the American Chemical Society (ACS), Phi Tau Sigma honor society, and the Pulse Protein Innovation Center research cohort. When not working, Audrey enjoys running, reading, and any activity that gets her into the great outdoors.

(608) 890-4877 | algirard@wisc.edu | LinkedIn

Shima Momen, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Research Associate

Shima earned her Ph.D. in Food Science from Laval University in Canada in 2023. Throughout her academic program, her research primarily focused on enhancing the Physico-chemical and functional properties of whey and plant proteins using innovative chemical and emerging technologies. She joined our team as a postdoctoral researcher in October 2023. Shima enjoys cycling and working out at the gym in her spare time, and she also has a passion for socializing and meeting new people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

smomen@wisc.edu | LinkedIn

Andrew Ndubuisi Akanno, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Research Associate

Andrew has a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. In the course of his research career, his interest mainly focused on understanding the bulk and interfacial properties of colloids and emulsions. Andrew enjoys playing soccer and running cross-country races.

(608) 239-7283 | akanno@wisc.edu | LinkedIn

Sanjana Sawant | Doctoral Student

Sanjana received her M.S. in Food Science and Technology from The Ohio State University. She joined the lab as a PhD student in Fall 2023.  In her free time Sanjana enjoys watching movies, playing badminton, and reading.

sssawant2@wisc.edu

Lily Lincoln | Doctoral Student

Lily received her B.S. in Food Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Previously, she has had summer internships with Cargill & J.M. Smucker. She is now pursuing a masters degree and joined the lab in September 2022. In her free time she enjoys hiking, running, & reading.

llincoln2@wisc.edu | LinkedIn

Tayana Roark | Master’s Student

Tayana obtained her B.S in Biological Systems Engineering from Iowa State University. Directly after, in the Fall of 2023, she started her Master’s in Food Science. Afterwards, she would like to pursue a career serving food insecure communities on a global scale. Outside of academia, she enjoys lifting and is a part of the Badger Powerlifting team.

troark@wisc.edu | LinkedIn

Whitney Brown | Undergraduate Lab Assistant

Sophia Delgado | Undergraduate Lab Assistant

Wendy Lu | Undergraduate Lab Assistant

Preston Smith | Undergraduate Lab Assistant