On December 10, 2009, the New York Academy of Sciences will host a special Company Day with PepsiCo at our New York City headquarters. This event will give the best and brightest students and early career scientists a unique opportunity to discover how PepsiCo is harnessing science and technology to address global challenges.

Fifty specially selected students and early career scientists (MS, PhD, postdoc) will have the unique opportunity to interact with PepsiCo’s leadership and to learn about the company’s research opportunities. If you are a Dean or Department Head, please nominate your best and brightest students by following the instructions below. If you are a student or postdoc, you may also nominate yourself to attend.

How to Nominate

To nominate a MS, PhD, or postdoc, please send a CV or resume to sciencealliance@nyas.org.

If you are currently a MS, PhD, or postdoc, you may also nominate yourself, by sending your CV or resume to sciencealliance@nyas.org.

Deadline for Nomination: Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The critical R&D Global Research Challenges that PepsiCo is seeking to address include:

• Developing science-based approaches that demonstrate the role of good nutrition in preventing non-communicable diseases.
• Creating affordable and accessible nutrient-based foods and beverages that are sustainable in the global economy, as well as tools to assess their value.
• Tapping into new, locally relevant ingredients while ensuring strong quality control.
• Improving sustainability through improvements in manufacturing, packaging, and processes.

Agenda

Agenda subject to change

Speaker Bios

Dondeena Bradley

Vice President
PepsiCo Nutrition

Dondeena Bradley, PhD leads the PepsiCo Nutrition organization and is currently responsible for delivering global nutrition strategies in the areas of nutrition standards, nutrient fortification, and education programs. These three areas help to increase the capability of global R&D and bolster PepsiCo's Human Sustainability Performance with Purpose agenda. Additionally, Dondeena creates nutrition enablers to address issues impacting global health, such as obesity and malnutrition.

She joined PepsiCo in May 2007. Her previous assignment was leading a Strategic Marketing team accountable for the development of nutrition technology platforms and company-wide strategic planning for McNeil Nutritionals, a division of Johnson and Johnson. Prior to joining McNeil Nutritionals, she held numerous roles in the areas of nutrition and health with M&M Mars, Stepan Chemical, and Campbell Soup as well as started her own business focused on health called Conceptual Ventures.

Dondeena received her Doctor of Philosophy-Food Science from The Ohio State University, her Master's of Science-Foods & Nutrition from Purdue University and her Bachelor of Science from Anderson University.

Mehmood Khan

Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer
PepsiCo

Mehmood Khan, M.D., F.A.C.E., is SVP and Chief Scientific Officer of PepsiCo, Inc., where he is responsible for guiding the company’s long-term research strategy and agenda for business opportunities. He provides global leadership and support to division research and development groups in the areas of enterprise research planning, R&D portfolio management, next generation technologies, nutritional standards, food safety and regulation, and quality assurance.

Prior to joining PepsiCo in 2007, Mehmood served as President of Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc (TGRD). In this role, Dr. Khan led all aspects of TGRD’s business, in both its Deerfield and U.K. Offices, including developing new product candidates, conducting post-marketing clinical studies and identifying and developing innovative lifecycle management approaches for marketed drugs. He was formerly Senior Vice President of Medical & Scientific Affairs for Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America (TPNA), Inc.

Prior to joining Takeda in January 2003, Dr. Khan worked at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where he served as Consultant Physician in Endocrinology and Director of the Diabetes, Endocrine and Nutrition Clinical Trials Unit in the division of endocrinology. Before joining the Mayo Clinic, he spent nine years leading diabetes, endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition programs in the Department of Medicine for Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
Dr. Khan earned his medical degree from the University of Liverpool Medical School, England, and completed a fellowship in clinical endocrinology and nutrition in the Department of Medicine and Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. He is a member of the Royal College of Physicians, London and a fellow of the American College of Endocrinology.

Robert B. Lewis III

Vice President, Worldwide Packaging Innovation & Equipment Development
PepsiCo

Robert Lewis is Vice President – Packaging Innovation and Equipment Development for PepsiCo Beverages Worldwide. His packaging innovation responsibilities span the family of PepsiCo beverage brands including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Tropicana, Propel, Aquafina, etc. Robert is also responsible for technology development for the equipment that dispenses PepsiCo products in a variety of restaurants and businesses around the world.

Robert has over 27 years of R&D experience including packaging development, process development, product design, and consumer research. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Robert was Global Director of Research & Development for Automatic Dish Washing, Febreze-Air Care, and New Business Development for all Home Care Brands with the Procter & Gamble Company. He has spent the last 18 years of his career as a senior leader of innovation organizations in Fortune 100 companies. Additionally, during his tenure with P&G he held a number of R&D managerial positions across foods, beverages, health, and personal cleansing.

Robert has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He lives in Katonah, New York and enjoys golf, reading, and contemporary jazz.

Gregory Yep

Global Vice President Long Term Research, Research & Development
PepsiCo

Gregory Yep, PhD is the Global Vice President of Long Term Research. He has responsibility for long term science based strategies for core ingredients and their impact on food, flavor, metabolism and nutrition to drive breakthrough innovation for growth in all PepsiCo products.

Prior to this, he held the role of Global Vice President, Application Technologies at Givaudan Flavors and Fragrances. While there, he lead a diverse global technology group and was responsible for R&D of taste and flavor delivery technology worldwide. And with more than a decade of work experience at McCormick & Company in roles of increasing responsibility for food science, he brings a wealth of consumer expertise to his new role. He is recognized for his contributions to numerous scientific publications and lectures to the scientific community.

He received a Ph.D in Organic Chemistry from the Johns Hopkins University, a master’s degree from the same university in organic chemistry, and a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. It was at U.Penn where he started his 25 year journey in flavors and food where he conducted research at the University of Pennsylvania’s Smell and Taste Center.

Event Location

The New York Academy of Sciences
7 World Trade Center
250 Greenwich Street, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10007

Map & Directions

Questions?

Please contact Mr. Derek Brand at dbrand@nyas.org, or telephone Chenelle Bonavito at 212.298.8617.