Arkansas Rice Processing Program Launches Terry Siebenmorgen Scholarship

SIEBENMORGEN SCHOLARSHIP — A scholarship named in honor of the late Terry Siebenmorgen, founder of the Rice Processing Program, was launched at the most recent Industry Alliance Meeting. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Terry Siebenmorgen, known around the globe for his work in rice processing, is being honored by an endowed scholarship launched at the 30^th annual Industry Alliance Meeting held by the program he founded in 1994.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Rice Processing Program hosted its meeting on May 22 at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences.

“The Siebenmorgen Scholarship will fulfill one of Dr. Terry Siebenmorgen’s passions: supporting deserving food science students with an interest in rice research,” said Griffiths Atungulu, director of the Rice Processing Program. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported this initiative, which continues to keep Dr. Siebenmorgen’s remarkable legacy in rice research alive.”

Siebenmorgen established the Rice Processing Program in 1994 to address issues in the U.S. rice industry through scientific research. His goal was to provide applicable information that would benefit the U.S. rice industry. Siebenmorgen passed away on Nov. 22, 2020.

The Terry Siebenmorgen Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to undergraduate students majoring in food science, with a preference given to students pursuing rice-related research or work. Please support this award by donating online.

Industry Alliance Meeting

Atungulu, who is also associate professor and agricultural engineer for grain processing and post-harvest system engineer, said the Industry Alliance Meeting plays a “crucial role” for the Rice Processing Program.

“The meeting allows us to share research outcomes and future directions with sponsors and industry partners,” Atungulu said. “Over time, this meeting has evolved into an excellent platform for our researchers and industry professionals to network and exchange ideas, leading to many successful research projects. Additionally, it provides a valuable opportunity for students to connect directly with potential employers upon graduation.”

This year’s meeting welcomed 135 guests from a cross-section of the rice industry. Karsten Neuffer, CEO of RiceTec, Inc., provided the morning keynote address which focused on RiceTec’s “extensive breeding initiatives aimed at producing rice that sustainably meets industry stakeholders’ needs,” Atungulu said.

The full-day program included presentations from Division of Agriculture researchers, Rice Processing Program faculty and graduate students, and invited international speakers. Xueyan Sha, professor and senior rice breeder at the Rice Research and Extension Center in Stuttgart, provided an update on the rice breeding program. Jarrod Hardke, professor and extension rice agronomist, gave an Arkansas rice production update.

Nathan Vanier, a professor of agronomy engineering at Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil and co-founder of GranoSafe, joined Günter Baumgarten with Garten Automation in a presentation which showcased an innovative toolkit designed to monitor the efficiency of rice processing operations. Vanier introduced GranoMetrics, a system that monitors and analyzes rice at each stage of the production process. Baumgarten, whose company is in Pelotas, Brazil, showcased how GranoMetrics could be integrated into the Garten Automation systems to further maximize production efficiency and quality.

Rice Processing Program research presentations were given by faculty and graduate students in the food science department. The presentations covered a variety of topics in drying, storage, milling, end-use quality and functionality. At the Industry Alliance Meeting, students also participated in the Terry Siebenmorgen Rice Research Poster Competition.

INDUSTRY ALLIANCE — Griffiths Atungulu, director of the Arkansas Rice Processing Program, announces the winners of the Siebenmorgen Poster Competition at the 30th annual Industry Alliance Meeting. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Siebenmorgen Poster Competition winners

• First place: Bindu Regonda, master’s student in food science, for “Blend Matters: Interaction of Rice Cultivars on Milling and Physical Traits.”
• Second place: Evans Ameyaw Owusu, Ph.D. student in food science, for “Optimizing of Parboiling Process for Contemporary Rice Cultivars Using a Custom-Made Parboiling Unit.”
• Third place: Sumanjot Kaur, Ph.D. student in food science, for “In Vitro Digestion of Protein Aerogels Generated from Defatted Rice Bran Protein via Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Technology.”

​To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on 𝕏 at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on 𝕏 at @AgInArk. 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 System 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 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.