Mary-Grace C. Danao

　　Title: Research Associate Professor

　　Address: Department of Food Science and Technology

　　University of Nebraska-Lincoln

　　1901 North 21 Street, Lincoln, NE 68588-6205, USA

　　Tel: 001-402-472-1595

　　Email:mdanao2@unl.edu

　　Education Background:

　　2002-2005     Ph.D., Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, USA

　　2000-2001   M.Sc., Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, USA

　　1996-2000      B.Sc., Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, USA

　　Working Experiences:

　　2017-present       Research Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA

　　2016                   Lead Instructor, Bioenergy and Agricultural Sciences, South Florida State College, USA

　　2015-2017     Research Engineer, ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Loss, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

　　2007-2015           Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

　　2005-2007           National Science Foundation International Research Fellow, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Cranfield Health, Cranfield University-Silsoe, UK

　　Research Interests:

　　I have 17 years of experience applying principles of optics, sensing, spectroscopy, and engineering unit operations for food process control, grain and oilseed quality assessment, and biomass composition measurement. The main thrusts of my research program have been on (1) developing high throughput spectral assays to determine composition of agricultural and bioenergy crops for plant breeding programs and (2) developing mitigation strategies to extend the shelf-life of grain crops and processed foods. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I am focusing on value added processing of food, feed and fiber materials and using nonthermal technologies, such as high pressure processing (HPP). I have mentored nine graduate students and co-authored 20 refereed journal articles and more than 74 conference proceedings and presentations, as well as serving as chair of multiple technical committees in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), including ITSC-230 (BE-23) Biosensors Committee, PRS-703 Food Processing Committee, ITSC-348 Electromagnetics and Spectroscopy Committee, Awards Coordinating Committee, and the Membership Development Council.