Dr. Da-Wen Sun is the 2013 recipient of the fourth annual award. The honor recognizes individuals or groups engaged in research which contributes to enhancing food through freezing.
Important contributions
Dr. Sun received the award during the recent 2013 IAFP Annual Meeting in NC. According to Frozen Food Foundation president Kraig R. Naasz, Dr. Sun was selected for his important contributions to furthering food freezing technologies.
“Dr. Sun’s research in the field of food freezing technology, including his numerous publications and awards, has aided the scientific community, as well as consumers who enjoy the benefits of his work through increased product quality,” Naasz said.
Industry resource
Dr. Sun is a frozen-food industry resource. His 2006 Handbook of Frozen Food Processing and Packaging is a reference book for researchers and engineers in the field; the book’s second edition published in 2012.
Dr. Sun holds a B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering and Ph.D. in chemical engineering. He became the first Chinese national to be permanently employed in an Irish University when he was appointed College Lecturer at the University College Dublin (UCD) in 1995.
Educational expert
Dr. Sun is currently UCD Professor of Food and Biosystems Engineering and Director of the Food Refrigeration and Computerized Food Technology Research Group. He also serves on a number of food educational institutions, industry associations and publications.
“Dr. Sun has advanced frozen food through initiating ice nucleation, controlling ice crystal size and distribution to achieve small and evenly distributed ice crystals in frozen food during freezing,” said Dr. Adriana Delgado of UCD. “He has devoted much of his educational activities studying the benefits of frozen food.”