College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition

Degrees

PhD: Michigan State University, 2019

MS: Michigan State University, 2013

Professional Positions

Operations Management Trainee, Nestle USA, 2008-2010

Product Development Manager/Director, Innovative Labs, 2020-2022

Senior Food Scientist, North Carolina Food Innovation Lab, 2022-2023

Volunteer, Farmer-to-Farmer Honduras, 2023

Treasurer, American Public Health Association One Health Section, 2022-2024

Background

Ryan is U.S. Marine Corps Veteran with a background in journalism and public affairs. Following his military service and undergraduate degree, Ryan worked for Nestle USA in its Operations Management Trainee Program. Ryan returned to MSU for graduate school, and after completing his graduate degrees in Human Nutrition, he worked as a Product Development Manager and, later, Product Development Director for Innovative Labs in Springville, Utah. Immediately prior to joining the department as an Academic Specialist, he was a Senior Food Scientist with the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab (North Carolina State University) in Kannapolis, NC.

Instructional Activities

FSC 470 - Integrated Approaches to Food Product Development

FSC 455 - Food Science and Human Nutrition Laboratory

FSC 342 - Food Safety and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Program

FSC 442 - Food Safety and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Program

Research Interests

Ryan’s teaching research interest is active learning design in science education. Ryan’s food science and nutrition interests include: 1) developing methods for targeted valorization of bioactive plant-derived compounds and understanding their influences on human and animal health; 2) understanding the influence of dietary fiber sources and polyphenols on the gastro-intestinal microbiome and metabolome of humans and animals in relation to food borne infections and chronic inflammation; 3) development of plant-based novel food products, which address problems associated with sustainability, food safety, and nutritional quality.

Publications

Visit Google Scholar for a list of publications.