Dr Mike Boland.
The Riddet Institute Fellow was presented with the award last month at the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology (NZIFST) conference dinner in Palmerston North.
The JC Andrews Hall of Fame Award is NZIFST’s top award and recognises senior Institute members who have made a substantial contribution to science and technology and leadership in the food industry.
Dr Mike Boland has a passion for enhancing health through food, and is known for fusing rigorous academic research with dynamic commercial innovation and an ability to find new technical solutions.
Feilding born and educated at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, Dr Boland is highly regarded both in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. He graduated from Massey with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in 1971 and a PhD in 1974.
Riddet Institute Acting Director Distinguished Professor Paul Moughan says Dr Boland’s innovative research career included 25 years at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, another 16 leading research at Fonterra and then 19 with the Riddet Institute as Principal Scientist. This last role saw Dr Boland shaping Institute strategy and leading research initiatives.
“There is no doubt that his has been a distinguished career, further endorsed by his newly minted JC Andrews Award. He has significantly advanced knowledge, especially in understanding milk composition, meat processing and the role of kiwifruit in protein digestion.”
Distinguished Professor Moughan says Dr Boland’s contributions to science and New Zealand have been outstanding.
“His ability to identify key research areas and set up teams to utilise science for understanding milk processing, food functionality, digestibility and nutrition has garnered benefits to the New Zealand industry and human health.”
He adds that Dr Boland has always had an uncanny ability to spot opportunities and see new directions.
“He was championing research into areas like personalised nutrition, functional foods, natural enzymes, sous vide processing, AI and the internet of things, well before they became mainstream concepts or some of us had even heard of them.”
Retiring this year, Dr Boland will continue to have an influence in his capacity as a Riddet Institute Fellow through advisory or supervisory roles.
During his work spanning more than five decades, Dr Boland developed on- and off-farm research collaborations between the New Zealand Dairy Research Institute, Dexcel, the Livestock Improvement Corporation and AgResearch. He was the Global Programme Leader for the New Zealand Dairy Board for the Milk Characteristics Programme, overseeing $8 million in research and development per annum. He has authored or co-authored 127 peer-reviewed scientific papers, 40 book chapters and books, 26 abstracts, reports, popular press articles and six patents.
The JC Andrews Hall of Fame Award is presented annually, in memory of Massey’s first Chancellor Dr John Clark Andrews, who proposed that a food technology degree course be established at the university.
The Riddet Institute is a Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) focusing on fundamental and advanced food research. It is hosted by Massey University on the Palmerston North campus.
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