Prestigious International Milestone: Professor Giovanna Ferrari Receives the “Lifetime Achievement Award”
The path of excellence for the ProdAl-Unisa research group has reached an unprecedented international peak. During the 14th edition of the International Congress on Engineering and Food (ICEF14), held at the Cité Nantes Congress Centre in Nantes, France, from June 19 to 23, 2023, Professor Giovanna Ferrari was honored with the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
ICEF14: The Future of Food Systems
The event, organized by the IAEF (International Association for Engineering and Food), gathered the world’s leading experts to discuss resilience and sustainability. The congress highlights showcased the sector’s new frontiers:
- Technological Innovation: A focus on 3D food printing, smart packaging, and the use of blockchain for traceability.
- Sustainability and New Proteins:Significant emphasis on waste reduction and alternative proteins (insects, microalgae, and legumes).
- Holistic Approach: The role of the food engineer was celebrated as central to every phase, from sustainable agricultural production to human digestion processes.
In this high-profile setting, Professor Ferrari was awarded alongside other prominent figures in global research, such as Professors Bhesh Bhandari and Olga Martín-Belloso, confirming the leading role of University of Salerno in food sciences.
Award of Excellence in Food Engineering
This award represents the highest career recognition in the field. It is bestowed upon individuals who have shaped the history of food engineering through innovative discoveries, scientific leadership, and a lasting impact on the global community. The ceremony took place during ICEF, the quadrennial event that brings together the world’s top experts to discuss crucial challenges: from food safety to the digitalization of production processes.
A Statement from Professor Ferrari
| “The recognition I have received is a source of profound pride for me, but above all, it represents an incentive for the future. It is an honor to see my name alongside giants of research such as Prof. Barbosa-Cánovas or Prof. Micha Peleg—colleagues with whom I have shared years of work and sincere friendship. I am deeply convinced that, now more than ever, the scientific community has the responsibility to contribute actively to the well-being of society. Through research, we can and must develop technologies that guarantee safer, more nutritious, and sustainable food, guiding new generations of researchers toward innovation that is always at the service of humanity.” |
A success for the University and the Region
The award presented to Professor Ferrari—CEO of ProdAl and a key figure in the DIIn (Department of Industrial Engineering)—is not only an individual achievement but a seal of quality for the entire Salerno research ecosystem. This recognition confirms the central role of the University of Salerno as a global innovation hub, capable of engaging with the most important research centers in the world.
