IAFNS Announces Winners of Emerging Leader Awards for Food Safety, Nutrition

Washington, D.C. — The Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS) announced the winners of the 2025 IAFNS Emerging Leaders Awards.

Dr. Byron Chaves, associate professor and food safety extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was recognized for his contributions to the field of food safety.

Dr. Laura Chiavaroli, nutritional sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada; and affiliate scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital at Unity Health Toronto, was recognized for her contributions to the field of nutrition science.

The Emerging Leaders Awards promote excellence in the food safety and nutritional sciences as evidenced by research, leadership, initiative, collaboration and communication. The two awards are geared towards those whose primary role is as a researcher from academia, industry or government.

The recognition includes travel expenses to Washington, D.C., for the IAFNS Annual Summer Science Symposium, to be held June 10-11. The winners will have a speaking slot at the symposium to share their research and receive commemorative plaques recognizing this accomplishment.

Applicants were judged on their research, communication, leadership and collaboration skills and accomplishments by the IAFNS Award Committee through an evaluation criteria and rating system.

"I see this award as a door that opens — an opportunity to expand my network, build new collaborations and continue the work with renewed energy,” said Chaves. “Receiving the 2025 IAFNS Emerging Leaders Award in Food Safety is a meaningful recognition of the hard work and dedication of #ChavesLabUNL. It brings visibility to applied food safety research and outreach and affirms the relevance of the job we are doing. Personally, it fills me with joy, pride and a sense of responsibility to keep pursuing solution-driven work that is impactful and actionable in protecting public health.”

“It is a great honor to have my work recognized by the IAFNS Emerging Leader Award, as I drive a research program that demonstrates the use of digital technology and interdisciplinary collaborations to translate and implement effectively our guidelines-based dietary patterns,” said Chiavaroli. “Our goal is to reduce the burden of non-communicable chronic diseases in communities at greatest risk.”