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, 2008-2010

Product Development Manager/Director, 2020-2022

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

Volunteer, Farmer-to-Farmer Honduras, 2023

Background

Ryan is U.S. Marine Corps Veteran with a background in journalism and public affairs. Following his military service and undergraduate degree in nutritional sciences, 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 a Utah-based contract manufacturer. Immediately prior to joining the department as an Academic Specialist, he was a Senior Food Scientist with the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab at North Carolina State University in Kannapolis, NC. Ryan also completed a graduate certificate in Public Health Core Concepts at Kansas State University, and is active in the American Public Health Association’s One Health section.  

Instructional Activities

FSC 211 - Principles of Food Science

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

FSC 402 - Food Chemistry Laboratory

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

FSC 455 - Food and Nutrition Laboratory

FSC 470 - Integrated Approaches to Food Product Development

Food Science Experiential Learning Coordinator

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 food products, which address problems associated with sustainability, food safety, and nutritional quality.

Publications

Visit Google Scholar for a list of publications.