Dr. Wenxi (Vince) Yang is a dedicated researcher with a strong foundation in food science, analytical flavor chemistry, and sensory evaluation. Vince recently earned his Ph.D. in Food Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where his doctoral research focused on chemical composition, descriptive sensory, and comprehensive flavor characterization of chestnuts grown in the U.S. This work combined state-of-the-art techniques, including gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and mass spectrometry, to explore the interactions among chemical compositions, sensory attributes, and key odorants in chestnuts.
With six peer-reviewed publications, including a book chapter and two presentations at national conferences, Vince’s research contributions extend across multiple food systems. His work involves the identification and quantitation of volatile compounds in sweet basil, chestnuts, and other complex food matrices, using advanced analytical tools to improve food quality and sustainability.
In addition to research, Vince is passionate about mentoring students and has guided undergraduate and graduate researchers in academic settings. As a recipient of the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Vince demonstrated excellence in teaching food science courses, ranging from sensory evaluation to product development.
Currently, Vince’s research at Ohio State University focuses on coffee quality modulation using state-of-the-art flavor techniques. The goal for Vince is to put insights as a professional analytical scientist into his coffee enthusiasm as a coffee lover by uncovering the chemical and sensory interactions that contribute to the complexity of coffee flavor to guide breeding programs for desired coffee qualities.
As a postdoctoral fellow, Vince continues to leverage his analytical expertise to investigate complex food systems, mentor students, and collaborate on innovative research projects that drive advancements in food science and flavor chemistry.