Dr. Gillian Eggleston received her B.Sc. in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Nottingham, UK, and her Ph.D. in 1989 in Carbohydrate Biophysics from Cranfield Institute of Technology, UK. Since receiving her Ph.D., Dr. Eggleston has worked internationally in the field of carbohydrates and industrial sugar and bioproducts processing. In 2018, Dr. Eggleston became the Director of the Audubon Sugar Institute, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. Accomplishments include elucidation of the biochemical and physical processes leading to sugar crop deterioration, juice clarification, industrial enzyme applications and sugar losses, effects of extraneous sugarcane matter on processing, food authentication, and helping to establish a new, large-scale sweet sorghum processing industry in the USA. Her research has resulted in over 396 publications (6 books, 169 peer reviewed journal papers and book chapters, 84 symposia and conference proceedings, 137 abstracts). Her major scientific and commercial accomplishments are reflected in 34 national and international awards, including five Sugar Industry Technologists (International) Awards, three Federal Laboratory Consortium National Technology Transfer Awards, the South African Society of Sugar Technologists Talbot-Crosbie Award, the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists’ Maurice Paturau Award, the early and senior USDA-Mid South Area Scientist Awards, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Melville L. Wolfrom Award and recognition as an ACS Fellow.
Before that she led a multi-million dollar research group focusing on sugar crop processing in addition to serving on a Detail as the Director of the Southern Regional Research Center in 2016. During her career, she has had numerous accomplishments with her research having had major commercial and scientific impact in the worldwide sugar and related industries. Her major scientific and commercial accomplishments are reflected in 34 national and international awards, including five Sugar Industry Technologists (International) Awards, three Federal Laboratory Consortium National Technology Transfer Awards, the South African Society of Sugar Technologists Talbot-Crosbie Award, the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists’ Maurice Paturau Award, the early and senior USDA-Mid South Area Scientist Awards, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Melville L. Wolfrom Award. She is also an ACS Fellow. Dr. Eggleston frequently gives international KeyNote, plenary, and workshop presentations, and consults extensively worldwide, within her field of industrial processing of sugarcane, sugar beet, and sweet sorghum, and even beyond in areas such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and bioenergy. Dr. Eggleston has organized numerous scientific symposia and international conferences. She has mentored young and older scientists as well as visiting scientists, post-doctorates, and graduates from all over the world, and served as external reviewer for six PhD degrees.
