3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3-A SSI) has selected 11 exceptional students to receive a 2026 Dr. Ron Schmidt Student Travel Award. Award recipients will attend the 3-A SSI 2026 Summit on Hygienic Design, taking place May 4 to 7 at the Marriott Chicago O'Hare, where they will present their research and network with industry leaders.
“These extraordinary students are pursuing meaningful research that can help solve real-world food safety challenges,” says 3-A SSI Chair John Kuhnz. “Their work underscores the critical relationship between academic research and industry innovation and demonstrates why it is essential to invest in emerging talent.”
At the Summit, award recipients will participate in an immersive curriculum of educational sessions covering equipment fabrication, inspection, cleaning strategies, and more. Students will present their original research during dedicated poster sessions and will be recognized at a special dinner honoring their achievements.
“The Summit provides a unique platform for these rising stars to connect with industry leaders – food processors, equipment fabricators, and regulators – working to protect global food systems," says Meri Beth Wojtaszek, Executive Director of 3-A SSI. “It is often a bridge from academic study to professional careers in food safety.”
The Dr. Ron Schmidt Student Travel Award pays tribute to the late Dr. Ronald H. Schmidt, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida and a co-founder of 3-A SSI. The 2026 award recipients are:
- Sweta Deb (Cornell University) – A second-year Master of Science degree student in Food Science, Deb tracks microbial population changes throughout dairy plants. With two years of industry experience in dairy quality management, she brings a unique perspective to how operational challenges affect milk quality.
- Suhan Bheemaiah Balyatanda (Kansas State University) – A PhD student in Grain Science and Industry, Balyatanda focuses on food safety, grain processing, and low-moisture food systems. The research centers on microbial inactivation in grains, hygienic design, and innovative approaches to improve the safety and quality of flour and other grain-based foods. She previously worked in product development and food authentication, developing analytical methods to detect adulteration in plant-based foods.
- Joshua Housley (Cornell University) – A first-year PhD student in the Milk Quality Improvement Program, Housley’s research investigates how environmental factors in dairy systems influence product quality.
- Abdulaziz Jallow (University of Delaware) – A senior Food Science student and a production intern at the university's UDairy Creamery, Jallow’s hands-on experience in dairy fueled an interest in equipment design, its effects on sanitation practices, and the standards that make food production safer.
- Kristen Shoemake (Texas Tech University) –A PhD student in Food Safety and Food Microbiology, Shoemake researches Salmonella prevalence and the recovery of indicator organisms in beef processing environments, with a strong interest in hygienic equipment and plant design to reduce contamination risks.
- Philip Junior Yeboah (University ofFlorida) – A PhD student in Food Science, Yeboah focuses on microbial food safety and fermentation. His research emphasizes microbial interactions and pathogen survival during fermentation.
- Monica Morales (Texas Tech University) – APhD student in Animal and Food Sciences, Morales specializes in food safety and applied food microbiology, with research focused on antimicrobial interventions to control Salmonella and E. coli in meat products.
- Vaishali Poswal (South Dakota StateUniversity) – A PhD student in Dairy and Food Science, Poswal’s research investigates microbial safety and sanitation strategies for the dairy industry. Her work bridges laboratory research with practical, industry-ready solutions to reduce pathogen risks, with a broad research program centered on understanding and controlling Listeria persistence in dairy processing environments.
- Dharshika Sugumaran (Louisiana StateUniversity) – A first-year Master of Science degree student, Sugumaran specializes in Food and Bioprocess Engineering. Her research examines sustainability-driven approaches, including waste valorization and circular economy solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Sandhya Thapa (Tennessee State University) – A doctoral student in the Public Health Microbiology Laboratory, Thapa is concurrently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Public Health. Her research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of antimicrobial compounds in preventing and reducing bacterial biofilm formation. She is also working to validate high-pressure processing for the inactivation of foodborne pathogens and exploring natural bioactive compounds as alternative strategies for pathogen control.
- Babak Faraji Gougerdchi (Virginia Tech) – A PhD student in Food Science and Technology, Gougerdchi is focused on engineering nanotextured stainless steel surfaces through electrochemical etching to enhance antifouling and bactericidal performance for food safety applications.
About 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc.
3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3-A SSI) is a nonprofit organization that develops and maintains standards for the design and fabrication of equipment and systems used to process food and beverage products in a sanitary manner. The mission of 3-A SSI is to enhance product safety for consumers around the world by developing standards and education materials that promote hygienic equipment design and practices. For more information, visit www.3-a.org.
