YIFEN WANG
Assistant Professor
211 Tom E. Corley Building, Auburn University, AL 36849-5417
Phone: (334) 844-8051, Fax: (334) 844-3530
E-mail: wangyif@auburn.edu
Website: http://www.eng.auburn.edu/users/wangyif/

EDUCATION

  • 2003 - MBA, Management Information Systems, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
  • 2002 - Ph.D., Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
  • 1999 - MS in Engineering, Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
  • 1990 - BS in Engineering, Food Engineering, Shanghai Fisheries University, Shanghai, China

EXPERIENCE
Years of experience at Auburn: 3

  • 2004 - Present: Assistant Professor, Biosystems Engineering, Auburn University
  • 2003 - 2004: Sr. Project Manager, Research Associate, Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
  • 1995 - 1998: Food Scientist, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Science, Shanghai
  • 1993 - 1995: Director, Manufacturing Plant, Senegal Fisheries Company, Dakar, Senegal
  • 1990 - 1993: Food Scientist, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Science, Shanghai

SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

  • 2005 - Present: American Society of Agricultural Engineers
  • 2004 - 2005: Institute for Operations Research and the Management Science (INFORMS)
  • 2001 - Present: Institute For Thermal Processing Specialists
  • 1999 - Present: Institute of Food Technology

INSTITUTIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

  • 2006 - Present: Visiting Researcher - Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
  • 2005 - Present: Vice Chairman, Public Relations - Alabama State Section of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers
  • 2005 - Present: Member of the Food Safety Expert Board - 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the BMOFSSC and the Olympic Organizing Committee
  • 2005 - Present: Visiting Professor - Shanghai Fisheries University, Shanghai, China
  • 1999 - Present: Peer reviewer of Institute of Food Technology -

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • 2002: IFT Travel Award - Institute of Food Technology, Puget Sound Chapter.
  • 2001: Graduate Student Travel Grant - Graduate School, Washington State University.
  • 2001: IFTPS Student Manuscript Competition Award - Institute For Thermal Processing Specialists. Only One Each Year
  • 2000: IFT Scholastic Award - Institute of Food Technology, Puget Sound Chapater.
  • 1998: Clairel L. and Evelyn S. Egtvedt (Former President of Boeing) Scholarship - University of Washington.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

  • 2002 - 2003: Developed Radio Frequency (RF) Sterilization
  • 1999 - 2002: Finished basic study on Radio Frequency heating

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Our research group focuses on applied and fundamental study of food engineering and food safety.  In the food engineering area: 1) food processing, especially fisheries processing, including development of value-add products and usage of by-products is explored; 2) nanostructures of fish gelatins are determined and relationships between the nanostructures and physical properties are established; 3) surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) coupled with novel gold nanotextured substrates for rapidly detecting and discriminating among some bacterial spores is being explored; and 4) design and development of a new portable SERS device is currently in progress.  In the food safety aspect: 1) emphasis is placed on food supply chain management, traceability systems using RFID technology, and risk assessment; and 2) continued application and development of classic food safety programs such as good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP).