Natsuki Fujiwara joined the Northern Crops Institute staff in January as a food technologist.

Fujiwara’s responsibilities include conducting quality analysis of northern grown crops with special focus on wheat, soybeans and barley. She also will assist in the development of new products and processes utilizing northern grown crops and help with the implementation of the institute’s educational programs.

“We appreciate the opportunity to have Ms. Fujiwara join our staff, where she will help us develop programs and investigate opportunities for northern grown crops in domestic and overseas markets such as Japan,” said Brian Sorenson, director of Northern Crops Institute. “Ms. Fujiwara has been a student employee in our labs for nearly two years. In August, she assisted NCI with a week-long program for Japanese millers and bakers, and worked extremely well with the course participants and the NCI staff.” 

Fujiwara graduated from NDSU with a bachelor’s degree in food science in December 2010. During the summer of 2010, she worked as a quality assurance intern at Dakota Growers Pasta Co., New Hope, Minn. Fujiwara is a native of Kyoto, Japan.