UCD School of Biosystems Engineering

Joining UCD in 1995, Professor Da-Wen Sun, MRIA, is a world authority in food engineering research and education. His many scholarly works have become standard reference materials for research workers in the areas of computer vision, computational fluid dynamics modelling and vacuum cooling. He has received substantial amounts of research funding from the EU Framework Programme and the Irish Government, and published about 600 papers including over 200 peer-reviewed high quality journal papers (h-index = 33), and edited 12 authoritative books. According to Thomson Scientific’s Essential Science Indicators^SM updated as of 1 July 2010, based on data derived over a period of 1 January 2000 – 30 April 2010 from ISI Web of Science, a total of 2,554 scientists are among the top 1% of the most cited scientists in the category of Agriculture Sciences, and Professor Sun tops the list with his ranking of 31.

Over the years, Professor Sun has received many academic awards and distinctions in recognition of his significant contribution to Food Engineering worldwide and for his outstanding leadership in the field. In 2000 the International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (CIGR) awarded him the “CIGR Merit Award”, in 2004 the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) named him “Food Engineer of the Year”, in 2006 he received “CIGR Merit Award” again, in 2007 he was presented with the only “AFST(I) Fellow Award” in that year by the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India), in 2008 he was awarded “CIGR Recognition Award” in honour of his distinguished achievements as the top one percent of Agricultural Engineering scientists in the world, and in 2010 he was presented with “CIGR Fellow Award” - the title of Fellow is the highest honour in CIGR and is conferred to individuals who have made sustained outstanding contributions worldwide. At the 51st CIGR General Assembly held during the CIGR World Congress in Quebec City in June 2010, he was elected Incoming President of CIGR, and will become CIGR President in 2013-2014 - the term of his CIGR presidency is six years, two years each for serving as Incoming President, President, and Past President.

He is Editor-in-Chief of Food and Bioprocess Technology, which has an impact factor of 3.576 and is ranked at the 4th position among 126 ISI-listed food science and technology journals. He also serves Series Editor of Taylor & Francis’ “Contemporary Food Engineering” book series, and Editorial Board Member for several ISI-listed journals. He holds visiting professorships from more than 10 Chinese universities.

As a functioning European Academy of Humanities, Letters and Sciences, the Academia Europaea (The Academy of Europe) is one of the most prestigious academies in the world. The concept of a 'European Academy of Sciences' was first raised at a meeting in Paris of the European Ministers of Science in 1985. The initiative was taken by the Royal Society (UK), and the Academia Europaea was founded in 1988. Membership is by invitation only after peer group nomination, scrutiny and confirmation as to the scholarship and eminence of the individual in their chosen field. Election is confirmed by the Council of the Academia. Current membership stands at around 2300, mainly selected from members of National Academies of Sciences and Humanities from 35 European countries, including leading experts from the physical sciences and technology, biological sciences and medicine, mathematics, the letters and humanities, social and cognitive sciences, economics and the law. Amongst them are thirty-eight Nobel Laureates, several of whom were elected to the Academia before they received the prize. In the Academia, there are only 25 current members from Ireland, including Seamus Heaney, the 1995 winner of Nobel Prize in Literature. Election to the Academia Europaea represents the highest academic distinction.