Four Cal Poly students were awarded first- or second-place prizes at the 2023 California State University (CSU) Student Research Competition, including two from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Students from across the CSU competed in 10 divisions in the following categories: Behavioral, Social Sciences, and Public Administration; Biological and Agricultural Sciences; Business, Economics and Hospitality Management; Creative Arts and Design; Education; Engineering and Computer Science; Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences; Humanities and Letters; Physical and Mathematical Sciences; and Interdisciplinary.

Jordan Richards, a second-year graduate student in the food science program, and Jack Madden, a third-year food science major, won first place in the Biological and Agricultural Sciences category. Seeking to reduce food waste and utilize what is currently wasted in carrot processing, Richards’ and Madden’s project, mentored by Professor Samir Amin in the Food Science Department, involves manipulating carrot pomace and utilizing the fiber in the pomace to retain water and flavor in beef patties. 

“The food science program prepares you well for sharing and speaking about your research, and I felt confident in sharing about the work I’ve been so focused on over the past two years,” said Richards, originally from Kingston, Jamaica, who plans to defend his thesis this summer. “The competition judges took an interest in my project and asked a lot of engaging questions about how the patties tasted and how people responded to sensory tasting.”