Biographical note

Dr. Kai Knoerzer has a background in process engineering (BSc), chemical engineering (MSc), and food process engineering (PhD, summa cum laude), all awarded from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany). In 2006, he commenced work with Food Science Australia (a joint venture of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Victorian Government) as a postdoctoral fellow. He has since become a principal research scientist in CSIRO Agriculture and Food. Kai has a proven track record in food process engineering research and development, particularly of innovative technologies. Currently, he is leading research activities on engineering aspects (e.g., numerical modelling, simulation, process/equipment design, and optimization, as well as scale-up) across a number of innovative food processing technologies, such as high pressure (thermal), pulsed electric field, and ultrasonics/megasonics processing. Kai's work has shown both science impact, with more than 90 peer-reviewed journal publications, conference proceedings and book chapters, 6 patent applications, four edited books, and over 90 oral and 50 poster presentations at national and international conferences, as well as commercial impact in the food industry. His work has also been recognized with various international awards for research excellence. Kai has been an active member of IFT's International Division in the leadership team for a number of years and is past chair of this division. He edited Elsevier’s Innovative Food Processing Technologies: Extraction, Separation, Component Modification and Process Intensification (2016) and two volumes in the Food Science, Technology and Nutrition series: Modeling Food Processing Operations (2015) and The Microwave Processing of Foods (2016). He is also Subject Editor for the “Food Process Engineering” section of Elsevier’s Reference Module in Food Science. He has an h-index of 18. Dr. Pablo Juliano leads the Food Processing and Supply Chains Group, which aims at solving food industry challenges through science and innovation. He obtained his PhD in Food Engineering at Washington State University in the USA and a Master of Business Administration at Deakin University in Australia. He also occupied management roles with Nestlé Uruguay and CONAPROLE, a major dairy exporter in Uruguay. With over 20 years of service to the food industry in 7 countries, he develops and directs circular economy research programs through technology innovation. He has published over 100 peer reviewed research in innovative food processing technologies and optimisation of food supply chains. In particular, he led the development and commercialisation of an unprecedented, patented technology for food waste recovery. He is the CSIRO representative on the Australian Food Waste Strategy together with industry peak bodies, the federal and state governments, and is working with food clusters towards the implementation of agricultural food processing hubs for regional development. He is President of the Australian Food Engineers Association. Dr. Smithers has a BAppSc (Hons I) from the University of Technology-Sydney and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia). He has post-doctoral experience at the University of Pennsylvania and at the University of Wisconsin. Geoffrey is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST), the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST); and is an invited member of the Center of Excellence for the American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI). He has published widely, and has presented at many international conferences, industry meetings and workshops. Geoffrey is an experienced editor and is currently serving as a Section Editor for the Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences (3rd ed.) and as Editor-in-Chief for the Encyclopedia of Food Safety (2nd ed.).