2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Nov 16, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Department of Dairy and Food Science


Collage image with students from the Dairy and Food Science programs. 1) Student kneeling next to a cow. 2) Student baking in a lab. 3) Student working in the Davis Dairy Plant.

Londa Nwadike, Department Head
Department of Dairy and Food Science
Alfred Dairy Science Hall 136
605-688-4116

Faculty

Professors

Sanjeev Anand, Clifford Hall, Londa Nwadike

Associate Professors

Srinivas Janaswamy, Maneesha Mohan, Maristela Rovai

Assistant Professors

Prafulla Salunke, Turner Swartz

Lecturer

Howard Bonnemann

Emeritus

Robert Baer, David R. Henning, Padmanaban Krishnan, Vikram Mistry, John Parsons, David Schingoethe

Overview

The mission of the Dairy and Food Science Department is to help create a prosperous future for the dairy and food industry of South Dakota, the region, nation, and world. With expertise in Dairy Production, Dairy Manufacturing, and Food Science the department covers the entire spectrum of the dairy industry; from farm to product, as well as foods in general. Faculty members are well recognized in their areas of expertise in research and are excellent instructors. The facilities offer both undergraduate students as well as graduate students opportunities for training on state-of-the art technologies.

Programs

Majors

Minors

Graduate Programs*

  • Biological Sciences (M.S.) - Dairy Science Specialization
  • Biological Sciences (M.S.) - Food Science Specialization
  • Biological Sciences (Ph.D.) - Dairy Science Specialization  
  • Biological Sciences (Ph.D.) - Food Science Specialization
  • Food Technology Certificate
  • Professional Science (M.S.) - Food Technology Emphasis

* Graduate degrees are offered in collaboration with the Graduate School. For details, see the Graduate Catalog.

Facilities and Services

The department is headquartered in Alfred Dairy Science Hall. The Davis Dairy Plant, located adjacent to Alfred Dairy Science Hall, processes ice cream, butter, cheese, and other dairy products. These products are sold through the Dairy Sales Bar and used in campus dining facilities. The Institute of Dairy Ingredient Processing is available for internal and external research and development projects. Food Science labs are located in Young Brothers Seed Technology Laboratory, Sociology/Psychology Building, and Raven Precision Agriculture Center.

Student Support and Engagement Opportunities 

Students are encouraged to supplement their class instruction with summer internships, employment at the Davis Dairy Plant, and extracurricular activities. Leadership opportunities are available through participation in the Dairy Club, Dairy Shrine, Food Science Club, Dairy Cattle Judging, Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, Dairy Products Evaluation Teams, American Dairy Science Association and Institute of Food Technologists. The Department has strong research programs in Dairy Production, Dairy Manufacturing, and Food Science. It is an active member of the Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center. Research opportunities for undergraduate students are also available.