Since 2010 the Omar Taraki Niode Foundation awards modest thesis scholarships and travel awards to selected students and faculty members who are doing food science and technology related works. This initiative was inspired by assistance received when Omar Taraki Niode was a student at the University of California Davis. Omar who received his MSc in 2008 paid his way through college by working and receiving financial assistance from the university. The awards received include:

1) Thomas A. Nickerson Memorial Travel Award

The award commemorates the work of Prof. Thomas A. Nickerson whose teaching and research were in the area of dairy chemistry. Dr. Thomas Andrew Nickerson began his career at UC Davis in 1950 in the Department of Dairy Industry, which in 1959 was merged with the Department of Food Technology to form the Department of Food Science and Technology. He was promoted to Professor in 1966 and was Associate Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from 1964 to 1969 and acting Associate Dean in 1976. His research activities were in dairy chemistry and dairy technology, and his work in these areas resulted in more than ninety publication.

Emil M. Mrak came to Davis in 1951 to serve as Chairman of the Department of Food Science and Technology and was internationally known for his work on the preservation of foods and the biology of yeasts. He was UC Davis Chancellor from 1959 to 1969 and presided over a tremendous period of campus growth. At the time of his death in 1987, friends and associates established this scholarship to honor his memory. It is restricted to students studying in the field of food science and technology.

The University of California, Davis, uses a variety of Internal Fellowship funds to support academic graduate students. Internal Fellowships can provide financial support in the form of a stipend (or "living allowance"), fees, nonresident tuition, research, travel or any combination of these.

Bernard Schweigert joined the faculty of the Department of Food Science and Technology and served as Department Chair from 1970 to 1988. Dr. Schweigert was instrumental in establishing the Department’s Ph.D. program, was a pioneer in the study of irradiation to preserve the nutritive value of foods, and was noted for his efforts to improve the quality of the world food supply. Colleagues of Dr. Schweigert established this scholarship in conjunction with a symposium to mark the conclusion of his service as Chairperson and in memory of his wife, Alta. Dr. Schweigert passed away in 1989. The scholarship is restricted to students majoring in Food Science or Food Biochemistry who have shown leadership in addition to academic achievement.

5) David D. Peebles Food Science Scholarship

David Peebles was a friend of the Davis campus who was active as a food engineer, industrialist, and investor. He was involved in the development of an instant process for dry skim milk and a method for sandblasting eggs. The scholarship fund was first established in 1957 to honor Mr. Peebles on his birthday and subsequently was endowed by his friends and family as a memorial. It is restricted to students studying food science, avian science, poultry husbandry, or agricultural engineering.

6) Northern California Institute of Food Technologists Travel Grant

The Institute of Food Technologists and its Northern California Regional Section (NCIFT) opens doors to educational resources, professional development opportunities, networking connections, information about public policy issues, dialogue about topics and trends specific to food science and technology, and much more.

Prof. Stewart came to the University of California, Davis in 1951 to chair the Department of Avian Sciences (then Poultry Husbandry). In 1959, he joined the faculty of the Department of Food Science and Technology as its chair. Dr. Stewart was a prolific writer and editor. In addition to authoring over seventy-five research papers, he was co-founder of Advances in Food Research and Journal of Nutrition Education and Monographs in Food Science and Technology. He established Food Science and Technology Abstracts in 1969. The purpose of the award is to provide support for students, with an applied food science preference, to attend national or international scientific meetings and/or to support special undergraduate research projects to be carried out in association with a member of the faculty of the Department of Food Science and Technology.

The California League of Food Processors (CLFP) is a non-profit trade association serving as a legislative and regulatory advocate on behalf of the State’s fruit and vegetable processing industry. The CLFP University Scholarship is a result of its commitment to fostering the education of individuals interested in pursuing a career in the agriculture/food science industry.

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