Staff Directory
Contacts for IFSH’s administrative and research staff are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Full contact listings for personnel affiliated with the FDA Division of Food Processing Science and Technology (DFPST) can be found by clicking FDA Staff Contacts.
A
Fadwa Al-Taher
Senior Support Scientist/Lab Technician (Chemistry)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 300A, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8167
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: altaher@iit.edu
Expertise: Chemical Contaminants and Allergens
Education: MS in Analytical Chemistry, BS in Chemistry, MS in Journalism
B
Katie Banaszewski
Senior Support Scientist/Lab Technician (Chemistry)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 300A, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.2752
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: kbanasze@iit.edu
Expertise: Analytical Chemistry
Education: BS in Biotechnology
Robert E. Brackett, PhD
Vice President and Director
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 231, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.1577
Email: rbrackett@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Microbiology, Bacteriology, Food Safety
Education: BS in Bacteriology, MS in Food Microbiology, PhD in Food Microbiology
Britt Burton-Freeman, PhD
Director, Center for Nutrition Research
Department: IFSH/IIT, Clinical Nutrition Research Center
Office: Room 339/338, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.341.7078
Email: bburton@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Intake Regulation, Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, Metabolic Disorders
Education: PhD, MS in Nutritional Biology, BS in Dietetics and Chemistry
C
Jack Cappozzo
Director of Chemistry
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 300, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8159
Email: jcappozz@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Safety, Nutrition/Health Promoting Foods, Analytical Chemistry
Education: MS in Biochemistry
Yang Chen, PhD
Chemist
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 300A, Bldg. 9
Phone: 708.563.8172
Email: ychen70@iit.edu
Expertise: Chemical Residue Analysis (Pesticides, Mycotoxins, Allergens, Chemical Hazards)
Education: BS in Food Science and Engineering
Christopher L. Conway
Support Scientist
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 305A, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.2309
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: cconway@iit.edu
Expertise: Proficiency Testing
D
Hossein Daryaei, PhD
Scientist
Department: IIT IFSH
Office: Room 305, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.2546
Email: ddaryaei@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Microbiology, Food Safety, High Pressure Processing, Biochemistry
Education: BS in Food Science and Technology, MS in Food Science and Technology, PhD in Food and Technology
A. Todd Diel
Safety Officer
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 108, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8190
Emergency: 708.269.2903
Fax: 708.563.8162
Email: diel@iit.edu
Expertise: OSHA, DOT and EPA Compliance
Education: MBA (Marketing and International Business), BS in Business Administration
Shannon Dugan
Support Scientist/Lab Technician (Microbiology)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 110, Bldg. 90
Phone:708-563-8269
Fax: 708-563-1873
Email: sdugan@iit.edu
Expertise: Microbiology
Education: BS in Biology
E
Edward Eberhardt
Maintenance/Facilities Worker (Utility Person II)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Loading Dock, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8289
Email: eberhardt@iit.edu
Indika Edirisinghe, PhD
Senior Scientist/Research Assistant Professor (Nutrition)
Department: IFSH/IIT, Clinical Nutrition Research Center
Office: Room 334, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8178
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: iedirisi@iit.edu
Expertise: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Nutrition
Education: PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
G
Patrick Ginty
Facility Engineer
Department: IFSH/IIT, Facilities
Office: Moffett Campus Facilities
Phone: 708.563.8270
Fax 708.563.8162
Email: Ginty@iit.edu
Expertise: Procurement, Maintenance, Installation, Calibration of Moffett Campus Facilities, Equipment and Process Equipment Systems, Instructor for Mechanical/Thermal Engineering Courses
Education: BS in Mechanical Engineering, US Navy Electronics
David Griesemer
Library Manager
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: NCFST Library, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8160
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: dgriesem@iit.edu
Expertise: Digital Libraries
Education: BA, MS, JD
Stephen F. Grove, PhD
Scientist (Microbiology)/Manager, Industry Projects, Center for Processing Innovation
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 305A, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8176
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: sgrove@iit.edu
Expertise:Microbiology; Human Enteric Viruses
Education: PhD in Microbiology, B.App.Sci. & B.App.Sci. (hons.) in Applied Biology/Biotechnology
Lacey Guillen, PhD
Scientist (Microbiology)/Manager, Proficiency Testing and Method Validation, Center for Specialty Programs
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 110, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8822
Email: lguillen@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Microbiology, Food Safety
Education: PhD, Food Science
H
Yancui Huang
Clinical Nutrition Research Assistant
Department: IFSH Clinical Nutrition Research Center
Office: IIT Research Tower, Suite 3C
Phone: 312.567.5300
Fax: 312.567.5321
Email: yhuang90@iit.edu
Expertise: Nutrition
Education: BS in Nutritional Science
J
Shama Joseph, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department: IFSH Clinical Nutrition Research Center
Office: IIT Research Tower, Suite 3D6-1
Phone: 312.567.5308
Fax: 312.567.5321
Email: sjoseph6@iit.edu
Expertise: Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals
Education: BS in Biology, MS in Food Science and Nutrition, PhD in Human Nutrition
Margaret Juergensmeyer, PhD
Biosafety Officer
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 108, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8828
Fax: 708.563.8162
Email: mjuergen@iit.edu
Expertise: Biosafety, Microbiology
Education: PhD in Biology, BS in Microbiology
Rima Juskelis
Senior Support Scientist/Lab Technician (Chemistry)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 300A, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8820
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: rjuskeli@iit.edu
Expertise: Chemical Constituents, Health Promoting Foods
Education: MS in Microbiology, BS in Biology/Chemistry
K
Michael Karczewski
Senior Maintenance Staff
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 108, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8173
Email: mkarczewski@iit.edu
Cindy Koschetz
Executive Assistant to the Director
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 231, Building 90
Phone: 708.563.8152
Fax: 708.563.8263
Email: ckoschet@iit.edu
Kathiravan Krishnamurthy, PhD
Engineer/Research Assistant Professor
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 305, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8272
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: kkrishn2@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Engineering, Novel food Processing Technologies, Modeling
Education: PhD and MS in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering in Agricultural Engineering
L
Julie Larson Bricher
Communications Manager
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Remote
Phone: 503.472.1448
Mobile: 503.409.9421
Email: jbricher@iit.edu
Expertise: Editorial and Public Relations Communication and Marketing
Education: BS in Journalism
Alvin Lee, PhD
Director, Center for Processing Innovation/Research Assistant Professor (Microbiology)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 234, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8277
Fax: 708.563.1576
Email: alee33@iit.edu
Expertise: Microbiology, Food Safety and Food Virology
Education: PhD, BAppSci in Applied Biology and Biotechnology
Viviana Loeza
Senior Support Scientist
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 110, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.2504
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: loeza@iit.edu
Expertise: Microbiology with Select Agent Clostridium Botulinum
Education: BS in Microbiology
M
Nicole Maks
Scientist (Microbiology)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 110, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.2133
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: maks@iit.edu
Expertise: Microbiology
Education: MS in Bacteriology, BS in Biology
Renee McBrien
Manager, Education and Outreach
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 216, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8271
Fax: 708.563.8274
Email: mcbrienr@iit.edu
Expertise: Academic/Student Relations
Education: Associate in Applied Science Degree, Business Administration and Management
N
Barbara J. Neuman
Accounting Analyst
Department: IFSH/IIT Finance
Office: Room 212, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8192
Fax: 708.563.8197
Email: Neuman@iit.edu
Expertise: Finance
P
Armand Paradis
Director, Business Development
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 228, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8175
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: aparadi2@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Processing, Product Development
Education: MS in Food Engineering, MS in Food Science and Nutrition
Eunyoung Park, MS, RD
Clinical Research Coordinator and Biostatistician, Research Dietitian
Department: IFSH/IIT, Clinical Nutrition Research Center
Office: IIT Research Tower, Suite 3C4-2
Phone: 312.567.5307
Fax: 312.567.5321
Email: epark4@iit.edu
Expertise: Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, Metabolic Disorders, Prostate Cancer
Education: MS, RD in Nutritional Epidemiology, MS in Food and Nutrition
Eduardo Patazca
Pilot Plant Manager
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 108, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8194
Fax: 708.563.8187
Email: patazca@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Processing Engineering Research and Development
Education: BS in Chemical Engineering, MS in Food Processing Engineering
Ismael Perez
Maintenance/Facilities Worker (Utility Person I)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: 9 Basement, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8180
Email: perez@iit.edu
R
André Rehkopf
Senior Support Scientist (Engineering)
Department: NCFST/ IIT
Office: Room 305, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8171
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: rehkand@iit.edu
Expertise: Microwave Heating, Process Validation
Education: MSc in Food Processing Engineering, Bsc in Technology and Biotechnology of Foods
S
Ed Steiner
Director, Facilities
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 305, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8273
Email: steiner@iit.edu
LaShondra Stephens
Senior Administrative Assistant (Membership and Business Development)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 228A, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8278
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: lstephe2@iit.edu
Expertise: Support Team, Business Development, Meeting and Event Planning
Education: BA and MA in English
Qian (Sherry) Sui, PhD
Senior Research Associate/Project Leader, Special Projects, Center for Specialty Programs
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 305, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.8170
Email: qsui@iit.edu
Expertise: Non-thermal Processing Technologies, Food Microbiology, Protein Chemistry and Functionality
Education: PhD and BS in Food Science and Engineering
T
Ravi Kiran Tadapaneni
Research Assistant
Department: IIT IFSH
Office:Room 334, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8823
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: rtadapan@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Processing, Nutrition, Antioxidants
Education: MS in Food Process Engineering, BE in Food Processing Technology
Julie Talbot, MS, RD
Research Dietitian
Department: IFSH Clinical Nutrition Research Center
Office: IIT Research Tower, Suite 3D6-1
Phone: 312.567.5316
Fax: 312.567.5321
Email: jtalbot@iit.edu
Expertise: Clinical Research and Nutrition
Education: MS, BS in Nutrition/Dietetics
Sarah J. Thomas, MS, RD, LD
Assistant Clinical Coordinator
Department: IFSH/IIT Clinical Nutrition Research Center
Office: IIT Research Tower, Suite 3D6-1
Phone: 312.567.5317
Fax: 312.567.5321
Email: sthoma12@iit.edu
Expertise: Nutrition
Education: BS in Nutrition Food Science, MS in Public Health Nutrition
U
Michael A. Urbanczyk
Scientist, Proficiency Testing Group
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 100, Bldg. 91
Phone: 708.563.2187
Email: murbancz@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Microbiology
Education: BS in Biology, MBA
V
Osvaldo (Ozzie) Velarde
Manager, IFSH – Information Technology
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 216A, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8288
Email: overlarde@iit.edu
Expertise: Information Technology
W
Jason Wan, PhD
Associate Director/Acting Director, Center for Specialty Programs/Research Professor (Microbiology and Biochemistry)
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 216, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.8287
Email: jwan1@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Microbiology, Biochemistry, Dairy Science
Education: PhD in Biochemistry), MSc in Dairy Science, BSc in Animal Science
Darsh T. Wasan, PhD
Motorola Chair Professor of Chemical Engineering
IIT Vice President for International Affairs
Office: Room 228, Perlstein Hall
Phone: 312.567.3001
Fax: 312.567.3003
Email: wasan@iit.edu
Expertise: NCFST founder and advisor
Education: BS, PhD in Chemical Engineering
Brittany Wuchner
Clinical Nutrition Research Assistant
Department: IFSH Clinical Nutrition Research Center
Office: IIT Research Tower, Suite 3D6-1
Phone: 312.567.5300
Fax: 312.567.5321
Email: bwuchner@iit.edu
Expertise: Nutrition
Education: BS in Nutrition/Dietetics
Z
Wei Zhang, PhD
Principal Scientist/Associate Professor of Biology
Department: IFSH/IIT
Office: Room 233, Bldg. 90
Phone: 708.563.2980
Fax: 708.563.1873
Email: zhangw@iit.edu
Expertise: Food Microbiology, Molecular Biology
Education: PhD in Food Science