Dr. Hongda Chen is the National Program Leader for Bioprocess Engineering and Nanotechnology at National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), USDA. He provides national leadership to develop nanoscale science, engineering, and technology for agriculture and food systems, and provides national leadership in engineering approaches for research, development, education and extension in food quality, safety and nutritional value. Currently, he directs Enhancing Food Safety through Improved Processing Technologies in the Food Safety Challenge programs; and Nanotechnology for Agriculture and Food Systems in the Foundation programs of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) – the flagship of NIFA’s competitive grants program. He has been a representative of USDA in the NSTC subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology (NSET) since 2001. He served as a Co-Chair of the 2010 NNI Strategic Planning Task Force. He has spoken frequently on nanotechnology for agriculture and foods at professional conferences, symposia, and strategic planning meetings both in the States and internationally.
Dr. Chen received his Ph.D. in engineering from University of California, Davis. He was a professor of food engineering at University of Vermont from 1990 to 2000. Dr. Chen is an elected Fellow of Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and a Fellow of International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST) of IUFoST.