El 10 de noviembre nos visitó la profesora:Ya-Jane Wang, Ph.D. del Departamento de Food Science, University of Arkansas junto a una delegación de 28 funcionarios de SAMAN, Adeco – Agro, Casarone y Fundación LATITUD del LATU.

Es profesora de química de carbohidratos en el Departamento de Ciencias de la Alimentación, de la Universidad de Arkansas. Ella recibió una beca Fulbright de EE. UU. para enseñar y realizar investigaciones en Brasil.

Wang es investigadora y científica de la Estación Experimental Agrícola de Arkansas. Ha sido miembro de la facultad de Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences en la Universidad de Arkansas desde 1999.

Wang imparte dos cursos:1) Análisis y laboratorio de alimentos, tanto para estudiantes universitarios como graduados, y 2) Química de carbohidratos alimentarios para estudiantes graduados. Su investigación, se centra principalmente, en la identificación de componentes químicos en relación con la calidad del arroz.

"El arroz es uno de los alimentos básicos más importantes del mundo", dijo Wang. "Una población creciente y demográficamente cambiante con mayores ingresos espera arroz de alta calidad. Al mismo tiempo, el cambio ambiental global plantea un gran desafío para la producción de arroz".

Wang dijo que su proyecto tiene como objetivo mejorar la colaboración internacional entre los distintos países de América Latina y Estados Unidos.

Ella vino a Uruguay en el contexto de esa beca Fulbrigth que la trajo a Pelotas RS, y en el conocimiento de Alejandra Billiris que trabajo con ella en Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Ya-Jane Wang, professor of carbohydrate chemistry in the Department of Food Science, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholarship to teach and conduct research in Brazil.

Wang is a researcher and scientist with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. She has been a member of the faculty in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas since 1999.

Wang teaches two courses:Food Analysis and Laboratory — to both undergraduates and graduate students — and Food Carbohydrate Chemistry to graduate students. Her research primarily focuses on identifying chemical components in relations to rice quality.

As a Fulbright Scholar, she will work with Nathan Vanier and his colleagues at the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil for four months in 2022 to engage in research and teaching in evaluating rice quality.

"Rice is one of the most important food staples in the world," Wang said. "A growing and demographically changing population with increased income expects rice of high quality. At the same time, global environmental change poses a great challenge for rice production."

Wang said her project aims to enhance international collaboration between Brazil, the United States and countries in Asia to facilitate the development of new rice cultivars with improved yield and desired quality traits for domestic and export markets.

Fulbright Scholar Awards provide unique opportunities for scholars to teach and conduct research abroad. The scholars also play a role in U.S. public diplomacy, establishing long-term relationships between people and nations.

The Taiwan….

Dr. Ya-Jane Wang graduated from National Taiwan University with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Chemistry in 1986. She then obtained her M.S. degree in Food Science from the University of Minnesota in Twin Cities in 1989 and her Ph.D. degree in Food Science from Iowa State University in 1992. She did her postdoctoral research at Iowa State University in starch chemistry from 1993-1994, and then join American Maize Products Company in 1994 as a starch chemist and became a senior carbohydrate chemist in 1996. American Maize Products Company was sold to Cerestar in 1995 and Cerestar was bought by Cargill in 2002. She joined the Department of Food Science at the University of Arkansas in 1999 as an assistant professor in the area of carbohydrate chemistry. She was promoted to an associate professor in 2004 and a full professor in 2009.

Dr. Wang teaches 2 courses at the University of Arkansas. She teaches FDSC 4114/4110L Food Analysis and Laboratory to both undergraduate and graduate students and FDSC 6123 Food Carbohydrate Chemistry to graduate students. Dr. Wang has built a strong Carbohydrate Research Program at the University of Arkansas. She has authored or co-authored over 120 refereed publications and over 140 abstract submissions and presentations and has obtained 5 patents. She has served as PI on 4 grants from USDA-NIFA, and many grants from state, and from contracts of over 50 food companies totaling over $3 M for her research program. Her research focuses on starch structure-functionality relationship, rice quality, and biomaterial utilization.

Dr. Wang has been an active member of several committees in the University, college, and department, including Patent, Promotion and Tenure, Curriculum, and Award Committees and Graduate Coordinator. She has served as the Chair of the Carbohydrate Division and Scientific Programming Subcommittee member, Technical Program Chair, Executive Committee Member, and student paper competition and scholarship judge for the Carbohydrate Division at Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). She was a Professional Development Panel Member for the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC). Dr. Wang has served as an associate editor for Cereal Chemistry and Carbohydrate Polymers journals, an ad hoc reviewer for USDA-CSREES-NRI and Agriculture, Agri-Food Canada, and many international refereed journals.

Education & Degrees

Postdoctoral Research- Iowa State University (Carbohydrate Chemistry)

Ph.D.- Iowa State University (Food Science and Technology)

M.S.- University of Minnesota (Food Science and Nutrition)

B.S.- National Taiwan University (Agricultural Chemistry)