Announcing the 2019 FSHN Alumni, Friends of FSHN Awards winners

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 FSHN Alumni, Friends of FSHN Awards.

The winners are as follows:

Emerging Leader Alumni Award

Since graduating, Celia Bravard (’15 food science) has developed and launched several new products for ConAgra Brands, which include Angie’s brand BOOMCHICKAPOP kettle corn and the microwaved line additions. Her efforts led to a promotion from associate food scientist to food scientist at ConAgra.

Bravard focuses her efforts on developing those around her, and leads and oversees internal ConAgra Technical Category Leaders, which includes more than 30 food scientists and engineers. She has continued her involvement with the FSHN Department following graduation, speaking to current students about trends in the food industry and connecting food science faculty with research efforts ConAgra has interest in pursuing.

Outside of work, she is involved in a number of organizations, including the Institute of Food Technologists and the ISU Alumni Association’s Council Bluffs Area Chapter.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Over the course of Jane Armstrong-Byrne’s (’57 home economics with major in institution management) professional career, she contributed significantly to the field of dietetics/nutrition. She began as a home economist in the test kitchen for the American Dairy Association, where she developed recipes, as well as planned and prepared food photographs and releases for national publicity.

She later went on to work at Jewel Food Stores in Illinois, where she was vice president of consumer affairs and home economics consumer services. There, she helped develop open dating on milk, dairy and other perishable products to replace the codes previously used that no one could understand. Jewel was the first to implement consumer-understandable freshness dates. Armstrong-Byrne retired from Jewel in 1984.

In addition to her professional work, she was engaged in national policy discussion related to food and nutrition through her service on various federal level panels and committees.

As Jerry Di Vecchio, the former food editor of Sunset Magazine, said, Armstrong-Byrne was “a delicate looking package of dynamite. She did, indeed, do so much good for consumers in her active years.”

Unfortunately, Armstrong-Byrne passed away Aug. 21, 2019.

Friend of FSHN Award

Grain Processing Corporation (Muscatine, Iowa) has been a huge asset to the FSHN Department for many years. Any time an ingredient, formula or technical assistance is needed, GPC employees are there and willing to help. Over the years, they have organized the GPC Ingredient Application Challenge for current students, provided feedback on product progress to students enrolled in the food product development course, and hired FSHN students as interns, among many other contributions to FSHN students and faculty.

The 2019 award winners will be recognized during the annual FSHN Celebration Banquet Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Social hour will be from 5-6 p.m., followed by the meal and banquet from 6-7:30 p.m. All FSHN alumni, students, faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to attend this FREE, family-friendly event.

Those planning to attend the Celebration Banquet are being asked to complete the online registration form by Oct. 11, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. CST.

This is the first year these awards have been given. For the past eight years, the department presented the Alumni Impact Award to a total of 23 FSHN alumni. The change to the awards during the 2019 award year was made in an effort to better clarify the qualities sought in nominees who have made an impact not only on the FSHN department, but on the food science and/or human nutrition fields, as well. Further details about each of the new awards, as well as a list of previous award winners, can be found here.

Key Contacts:

Whitney Baxter, communications coordinator, Food Science and Human Nutrition, 515-294-9166, wjsager@iastate.edu