Shengmin Sang, Ph.D.
Two professors from the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and seven professors from N.C. A&T overall, have been named by Stanford University as some of the world’s top scientists.
Shengmin Sang, Ph.D., a food science professor and researcher at the Center for Excellence in Post-Harvest Technologies, and Lijun Wang, Ph.D., a biological engineering professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design, appear on Stanford’s list of the top 2% of the most-cited scientists in the world in various disciplines. Citation is a measure of the importance and accuracy of a scientist’s research. The comprehensive list, released this fall, includes 159,683 persons.
“These professors are researching issues that impact the citizens of North Carolina every day,” said Mohamed Ahmedna, dean of the CAES. “Their work on finding alternative sources of energy and understanding health-promoting foods is transformative. We are extremely proud of them.”
A highly productive scientist in the food and nutrition field, Sang, whose research deals with herbal medicine and identifying the bioactive components in foods that also have human health benefits, is the recipient of a highly competitive four-year, $1.8 million RO1 grant from the National Institute of Health to study ginger’s effects on smooth muscle, as well as a second NIH grant to study ginger supplements’ safety and efficacy for asthma patients. Recently, he was awarded nearly $500,000 from the USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative to study oats’ effects on inflammatory diseases.
Lijun Wang, Ph.D.
Wang is an industry leader in bioprocessing and biofuel research, with current efforts focused on converting biomass, agricultural and food wastes into biofuels and bioproducts, and food-energy-water nexus analysis. He is one of three leaders of the interdisciplinary National Science Foundation CREST Bioenergy Center on campus, which conducts research toward making biomass a more viable source of renewable energy by developing the basic science and technology that will make energy conversions more efficient and affordable. His research has generated two books, 52 book chapters and 87 peer-reviewed journal articles with more than 3,500 citations.
“These professors’ steadfast commitment to their research enterprise has garnered them attention on a global stage,” said Shirley Hymon-Parker, associate dean for research. “They are very deserving.”
