NDSU cereal science student Jayani Maddakandage Dona was honored at the 2021 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual meeting conducted virtually during July.

She was one of six finalists in the IFT Mark L. Bieber Graduate Student Oral Competition - Nutrition Division and received third place for her presentation, “Nutritional quality of hulled wheat species: Einkorn, emmer and spelt.” Her presentation was based on her master’s degree research.

She also was selected to receive a graduate scholarship and travel award by the Minnesota Section of the Institute of Food Technologists. The awards recognize outstanding academic achievement.

Maddakandage Dona is a doctoral student in the cereal science program in the NDSU Department of Plant Sciences researching the effect of flour particle size on the nutritional quality of sourdough bread. She is advised by Senay Simsek, former NDSU Bert L. D'Appolonia Cereal Science and Technology of Wheat Endowed Professor and wheat quality project leader.

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