Sensory Science Center Creates Meullenet Research Award for Students

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's Sensory Science Center recently established the Meullenet Research Award, a competition to recognize outstanding undergraduate and graduate student research.

The award is named for Jean-François Meullenet, senior associate vice president for agriculture-research and director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture. Meullenet co-founded the center in 1996 when he was a professor in the Department of Food Science.

"The Meullenet Research Award celebrates three decades of achievement at the Sensory Science Center while supporting the next generation of researchers advancing human sensory and consumer science across a broad range of disciplines," said Han-Seok Seo, Tyson Endowed Professor in Food Sensory Science and director of the Sensory Science Center.

The mission of the Sensory Science Center is to conduct basic and applied research to better understand the role of sensory aspects, not only in food perception and acceptance, but also in quality of life.

Submission Details

The deadline to submit abstracts is Sept. 11. Six finalists will be notified Sept. 25, with an oral competition to be held Oct. 19. The award recipients will be announced Oct. 19 during the Sensory Science Center's Science-Telling-About-Revolution (STAR) in Sensory Nudges Conference.

The oral competition will be evaluated by a five-member panel of judges from academia and industry with expertise in sensory and consumer science, psychology, engineering, behavioral science or related disciplines.

Cash prizes and certificates will be awarded to the three finalists receiving the highest scores for their oral presentations: first place, $500; second place, $300; third place, $200. 

The first-place recipient will also be invited to present their research during the conference reception Oct. 19.

Applicants must either be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program, a graduate degree program or have graduated from an undergraduate or graduate degree program after Jan. 1, 2026. Human sensory or consumer research must be a primary focus of submissions, rather than a minor component of a broader project.

Further submission rules may be found at the Sensory Science Center's STAR conference website, in the "Call for Poster Presentations" section, or by contacting Seo at hanseok@uark.edu.

To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu. Follow the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station on LinkedIn and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

About the Division of Agriculture: The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation's historic land grant education system. 

The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses. 

Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.