BYLINE: Steven Gibb
Newswise — Washington D.C. – The established IAFNS Emerging Leaders Awards promote excellence in the food safety and nutritional sciences as evidenced by research, leadership, initiative, collaboration and communication.
The two awards—one for food safety and one for nutritional science—are geared towards those whose primary role is as a researcher from academia, industry or government.
The recognition includes travel expenses to Washington DC for the IAFNS Annual Summer Science Symposium to be held June 24-25, 2026. The winners will have a speaking slot at the symposium to share their research and receive commemorative plaques recognizing this accomplishment.
Applicants were judged on their research, communication, leadership and collaboration skills and accomplishments by the IAFNS Award Committee through an evaluation criteria and rating system. We received a strong pool of applicants reflective of the depth of talent and leadership shaping the future of the food and beverage ecosystem. The selection process was highly competitive, making the judges’ decisions challenging.
2026 Award Winners
IAFNS is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 IAFNS Emerging Leaders Awards:
In recognition of contributions in the field of Nutrition Science, the IAFNS Emerging Leader Award goes to:
Dr. Lauren O’Connor – Nutritional Sciences, Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Evidence Center of Texas A&M AgriLife Research.
“I am honored to receive the IAFNS Emerging Leader in Nutritional Sciences Award. This recognition motivates me to continue advancing rigorous, standardized, and transparent scientific practices that elevate the quality of nutrition research used to inform decision-makers of policies, programs, and regulations in the United States and globally.”
In recognition of contributions to the field of Food Safety, the IAFNS Emerging Leader Award goes to:
Dr. Carla Schwan, University of Georgia.
“Receiving the IAFNS Emerging Leader Award is truly humbling, as it recognizes work that brings research and Extension together to address real-world food safety challenges. Our program focuses on home food preservation and microbial validation to better understand how risks occur in practice and to turn that science into guidance people can rely on. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce foodborne illness by helping people make safer choices when preparing and preserving food.”
IAFNS congratulates both recipients on this well-deserved recognition and looks forward to their talks at the June 24-25 Annual Summer Science Symposium in Washington DC.
About the University of Georgia
The University of Georgia, a land-grant and sea-grant university with statewide commitments and responsibilities, is the state’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education. With original scholarship, basic and applied research, and creative activities constituting an essential core from which to draw, the impact of the land-grant and sea-grant mission is reflected throughout the state. Cooperative extension, continuing education, public service, experiment stations, and technology transfer are all designed to enhance the well-being of the citizens of Georgia through their roles in economic, social and community development. www.uga.edu
About the Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Evidence Center of Texas A&M AgriLife Research
Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Evidence Center of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. The Evidence Center was founded in 2022 with a mandate to advance scientific understanding of society’s most challenging and vital questions related to the agri-food system and its effects on human, environmental, and economic health. Federal agencies and other public health entities commission the Evidence Center to evaluate the state of the science to inform their policies, programs and regulations. https://evidencecenter.tamu.edu/
About the Institute for the Advancement of Food & Nutrition Sciences
IAFNS is committed to leading positive change across the food and beverage ecosystem. IAFNS is a 501(c)(3) science-focused nonprofit uniquely positioned to mobilize government, industry and academia to drive, fund and lead actionable research. iafns.org