My name is Matthew Allen and I am a Ph.D. graduate student in the Department of Food Science at Purdue University. I am working under Dr. Lisa Mauer with a research emphasis in food chemistry. My research involves water-solid interactions in dry and solution systems. The current projects include sugar intermolecular interactions in the amorphous state and solution systems; and how the interactions affect solute crystallization. In addition, I am generating phase diagrams of hydrate forming crystalline ingredients (e.g. citric acid and glucose). The phase diagrams would be maps for the thermodynamically Pg 4 stable state in a given humidity and temperature condition. Both of the projects apply to beverage systems and dry beverage ingredients. I have published 3 papers this past year, two in Food Chemistry and one in The Manufacturing Confectioner and have assisted in illustrating a book chapter in Foundations of Culinology. Apart from my research, I have taken individual fundamental food chemistry courses on specific macronutrients such as water, protein, carbohydrates, and lipids. The more applied curriculum I have completed are Food Ingredients and another course titled the Science of Experimental Cuisine, where food science and the culinary arts are merged. On top of taking classes, I was a Teaching Assistant for Food Processing and Food Chemistry Labs and the Grader for Food Chemistry and Food Ingredients. I am also actively involved in the College Bowl team where we compete against other universities in the IFT Midwest region in food science knowledge. I am originally from the Yakima Valley in Washington State where my family's business involves growing and packing apples and cherries. I grew up working in orchards and the packing warehouse, which is the reason for my initial interest in the food industry. My true passion for food science developed during an internship with Tree Top Inc., where I did research in apple juice filtration systems. This was a great hands on experience with food processing and food chemistry.