We are a collaborative, multidisciplinary group developing processing solutions for more sustainable food and bioprocessing systems.
We value curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, independence, and research integrity. Our members come from diverse backgrounds, including food science, agricultural and biological engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, environmental engineering, and related fields.
We welcome students who are excited to conduct high-quality research and translate scientific discoveries into practical technologies.
Current Openings
We are recruiting 1–2 Ph.D. or M.S. students for Fall 2027.
Students with backgrounds in food science, chemical engineering, agricultural engineering, biological engineering, bioprocess engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, and related disciplines are encouraged to apply.
What You Can Work On
Research opportunities in the Huang Lab may include:
- Sustainable processing of food and agricultural byproducts
- Protein and dietary fiber ingredient development
- Functional materials derived from agricultural biomass
- Integrated bioprocess and product-recovery technologies
- Process modeling, scale-up, techno-economic analysis
Projects frequently cross disciplinary boundaries and provide opportunities to work with collaborators in food science, engineering, chemistry, microbiology, materials science, and industry.
What You Will Learn
Depending on the project, students may gain experience in:
- Experimental design and quantitative data analysis
- Food and biomass processing
- Separation and product-recovery technologies
- Chemical and structural characterization
- Process design and scale-up
- Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment
We expect students to develop both deep expertise in their research topic and the ability to think about technology from a broader process and application perspective.
Where Our Trainees Go
Our former trainees have continued their careers as faculty members, national-laboratory researchers, postdoctoral researchers, and scientists in the food, biotechnology, analytical, agricultural, and advanced-materials industries.
Meet our alumni →Interested in Joining the Lab?
Please email Dr. Haibo Huang at huang151@vt.edu with:
- Your CV
- A brief description of your research interests and relevant experience
- A short explanation of why your interests align with the Huang Lab
We look forward to hearing from motivated students who are interested in solving challenging problems through interdisciplinary research.