Main areas of research:

(1) identifying important chemical markers for quality, purity and health in fruit, vegetable and other foods;

(2) developing robust analytical quality and purity methods so they can be easily adopted by food industries;  

(3) modifying food processing to improve efficiency, quality, health and sustainability.

Dr. Wang accepts passionate and motivated students from three Graduate Groups - Food Science and Technology, Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, and Chemistry.

Our Mission: Working together with the Food and Agriculture sectors to ensure food quality, authenticity and sustainability.

Our Success Measurement: How much we have done to help the people we work with and the communities we serve.

Dr. Wang leads with transparency and integrity; promotes diversity and equity.

All members of the research group actively support these efforts and practice empathy and kindness. 

We are committed to a learning environment that is inclusive and flexible where all are welcome and encouraged to learn, relearn and unlearn. 

Current group members

Research Specialist and Lab Manager

  • Xueqi Shirley Li, MS, Food Science and Technology

Postdoctoral Researchers

  • Dr. Mario Vendrell

Graduate Students

  • Catrina Negut, MS student, Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry

  • Dawn Wannasin, PhD student, Food Science and Technology

  • Sam Lowenhar, PhD student, Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry

  • Zatil Afrah, PhD candidate, Food Science and Technology

Undergraduate Students

  • Shannon Yi: Food Science and Technology

  • Edwin Rashidi: Pharmaceutical Chemistry

  • Archie Bautista Mangubat: Food Science and Technology

  • Yifang Zhang: Food Science and Technology

  • Ara Chookoorian: Chemical Engineering

  • Emily Uribe: Food Science and Technlogy

  • Yongju Cho: Food Science and Technology

Group alumni

Postdoctoral Researchers

  • Dr. Josephine Ampofo (2023)

  • Dr. Juan Polari, Food Science and Technology (2021)

  • Dr. Filipa Simoes Grilo (2021)

  • Dr. Hefei Zhao (2023)

Graduate Student

  • Hilary Green, PhD, Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry (2022)

  • Juan Polari, PhD, Food Science and Technology (2020)

  • Lauren Crawford, PhD, Food Science and Technology (2019)

  • Austin Phung, MS, Pharmaceutical Chemistry (2018)

Recent Undergraduate Students

  • Alex Wu, (Food Science and Technology)

  • Sarah Suriano, (Food Science and Technology)

  • Caitlin Chua, (BS in Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2023)

  • Chelsea Chen, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2023)

  • Archie Bautista Mangubat, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2023)

  • Caitlin Chua, (BS in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 2023)

  • Catherine Choquette (Food Science and Technology)

  • Xian Michele Fong, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2023)

  • Gavin Sou, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2023)

  • Kevin Benitez Rosales, (BS in Chemistry, 2023)

  • Amber Sun, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2023)

  • Vy Minh Nguyen, (BS in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 2022)

  • Sarah Chen, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2022)

  • Jennifer Hosiadi, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2022)

  • Vici Thahir, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2022)

  • Joana Tanurahardja, (BS in Plant Sciences, 2021)

  • Thong Thomas Nguyen, ( BS in Food Science and Technology, 2021)

  • Aceline Chiu, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2021)

  • Batool Albar, (BS in Chemical Engineering, 2021)

  • Myhan Nguyen, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2021)

  • Karen Cai, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2021)

  • Yanisa Srisaard, (BS in Food Science and Technology/Anima Science, 2021)

  • Chang Lin, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Gary Adrian, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Haley Feng, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Madison Dosh, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Sherina Sim, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Andres Gonzales, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Minh Le, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Jie Ding, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Katerina Roth, (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2019)

  • Madison Means, (BS in Chemistry, 2019)

  • Klay Liu, (BS in Food Science and Technology and Forensic Chemistry, 2019)

  • Chiaohwei Lee (BS in Chemistry, 2018)

  • Chelsey Souza (BS in Chemistry, 2018)

  • Xavier Montalvan (BS in Chemistry, 2018)

  • Melina Nishida (BS in Chemistry, 2018)

  • Duangkamol (Dahlia) Yingyongkitmongkol (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2018)

  • Ming Ying Kwong (BS in Chemistry, 2018)

  • Dee Ann Dela Cruz (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2018)

  • Suk Wah Wong (BS in Nutrition, 2017)

  • Lu Li (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2017)

  • Rixin Cao (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2017)

  • Courtney Ngai (BS in Chemistry, 2017)

  • Ken Cunningham (BS in Biological Systems Engineering, 2017)

  • Dongping Guo (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2016)

  • Quyen Anh Pham (BS in Chemistry, 2016)

  • Dajun Yu (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2016)

  • Luyi Cao (BS in Food Science and Technology, 2016)

Visiting Scholars

  • Francesco Nicoli, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy (Simmer 2023)

  • Surina Beal, Undergraduate student, UC Santa Cruz (Simmer 2023)

  • Mario Vendrell, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies- Institute of life sciences, Italy (2022-2023)

  • Roma Saleem, Pakistan (via Prof. Kent Pinkerton, UCD School of Medicine, 2023)

  • Erin Kuo, Undergraduate student, Biochemistry and Economics, Vassar College (Summer 2021)

  • Anjana Chandran, Undergraduate student, UCSB (Summer 2020)

  • John Almazan, Undergraduate student, Chemical Engineering, Columbia University (Summer 2019 and 2020)

  • Lixia Hou, Professor, College of Food Science and Technology, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China

  • Ying Liu, PhD candidate, Jiangnan University, China (2018-2019)

  • Enrico Valli, Junior Assistant professor, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna (2018)

  • Lucía Olmo-García, PhD candidate, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada (2016)