A recently published list shows that Milena Corredig was ranked the top female chemist in Aarhus University (overall ranking 13 amongst all chemists in Aarhus University, and 35 in all of Denmark) and that Professor Hanne Christine Bertram was ranked the third female chemist in Aarhus University (overall ranking 29 amongst all chemists in Aarhus University, and 111 in all of Denmark), according to Research.com. 

The rankings are based on a scholars D-index (discipline-based H-index), which takes into account only papers and citation data within the chemistry discipline.

The Head of the Department of Food Science, Michelle Williams, is proud of the achievements of these leading food scientists.

“To be acknowledged so highly in such a competitive field, especially given the complexity of food and the focus on delivering impact for the benefit of industry and society, is certainly a great achievement for these outstanding food scientists,” she says.

The department would also like to acknowledge and congratulate Marianne Glasius, Department of Chemistry, as ranked second female chemist in Aarhus University (overall ranking 27 at Aarhus University, 107 in Denmark).

CiFOOD Center Leader

Milena Corredig has been a Full Professor in Food design and technology since 2006 and is currently also Center Leader at CiFOOD, Aarhus University’s center for food innovation. She has been a professor at Aarhus University since 2019 and was awarded a Villum Investigator in 2021.

Her research priorities are food design and processing, connecting the domains of food biochemistry, food processing and material science.

Professor and Villum Investigator Milena Corredig, is honored to be the top-ranking female Chemist at Aarhus University:

“You start working with food chemistry and it just easily becomes a passion.  I am grateful that when measured against other disciplines we, food scientists rank amongst the best! I like to see these rankings, as often reflect a lifetime of accomplishments, and surprisingly still not a lot of women yet. A sign that we need to do better”.

Her research is focused on making it possible to design more functional foods, healthier foods, and high-quality products. This will also be vital to improve or create new functional ingredients from raw materials, taking into consideration also the use of byproducts in a new, circular food economy. 

This leads to a better understanding of the interactions between raw materials, ingredients, alternative processing approaches, storage, and distribution, and will provide new tools to create more sustainable food products in the future.

Chemistry in everything

Number three on the list of highest ranked female Chemists at Aarhus University is also from The Department of Food Science – this is Professor Hanne Christine Bertram.

She has been a professor at the department since 2016, and her research is primarily focused on gaining insight into quality and nutritional aspects of dairy, meat, and other animal-based foods.

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique is a core element in her research, which also entails the development and use of metabolomics to gain mechanistic insight into nutrition, metabolism, and gut microbial activity.

She is actively engaged in industrial collaboration, and she participate in several research projects with focus on utilization and valorization of side-streams and animal by-products, alternative protein sources such as insects as well as reformulation of animal-based foods with plant-based materials.

Professor Hanne Christine Bertram is also proud of her ranking as number three on the list of top female Chemists at Aarhus University:

”There is chemistry in everything, and for me as a food and nutrition scientist, I am both honored and proud that this ranking list reveals that significant achievements in chemistry also entail food science,” she says.

The Department of Food Science congratulates both professors sincerely on their achievements.