FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Navam Hettiarachchy, University Professor of protein chemistry in U of A's Department of Food Science, has been recognized and honored by two professional organizations.

Hettiarachchy has been named fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology — the Global Focus of Food Science Excellence — by the International Union of Food Science and Technology. She has also been named director of Phi Tau Sigma, the international honor society of the Institute of Food Technologists.

Hettiarachchy is a member of the faculty of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, and a researcher and scientist with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the U of A System Division of Agriculture.

She is one of 29 new fellows, and one of just nine from the U.S., and will be inducted by the IAFoST Academy Council in August.  

The International Union of Food Science and Technology stimulates the ongoing exchange of knowledge in scientific disciplines and technologies relating to the expansion, improvement, distribution and conservation of the world's food supply.

Hettiarachchy, already a fellow of IFT, has been elected to serve a three-year term, September 2020-August 2023, as director of Phi Tau Sigma. The honor society recognizes excellence among peers, students and educational activities.

IFT is an international, non-profit scientific society of professionals engaged in food science, food technology and related areas in academia, government and industry with a membership of more than 15,000. Hettiarachchy has served as chair of several committees (basic symposium, diversity, scholarships and continuing education), been a member of others (fellow, awards and annual planning), and also held positions as task forces leader and student counselor.

She is a past president of IFT-American Association of Food Scientists for the Indian Subcontinent, and served as poster competition chair as well as director of fundraising. Her leadership has led to many IFT Bumpers College student experiences, including first places in national product development contests as well as 11 regional champions and two national champions at the IFT college bowl competitions.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 3 percent of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.