The Harald Perten Foundation is pleased to announce that the Harald Perten Prize 2026 is awarded to Prof. Dr. Senay Simsek (Purdue University, US) and Dr. Sean M. Finnie (Sif Grains, LLC, US). ✨ The Prize, presented every two years, recognizes outstanding achievements in science, research, teaching, or knowledge transfer that serve cereal science and technology, with particular focus on practical applications in starch, gluten, and enzyme systems.
🏆 Prof. Dr. Senay Simsek is Professor and Head of the Department of Food Science at Purdue University, where she holds the Dean's Chair in Food Science. A leading authority on wheat quality and cereal functionality, she previously built and led the Wheat Quality and Carbohydrate Research Program at North Dakota State University. Her research has advanced the scientific basis for objective wheat quality testing and the structure–function understanding of cereal proteins, starches, and dietary fibre, work that has shaped breeding, milling, and product development worldwide. She has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and has played an active role in international training, crop quality surveys, and industry education on behalf of the global wheat trade.
🏆 Dr. Sean M. Finnie is Founder and Principal Consultant of Sif Grains, LLC and most recently served as Director of the USDA-ARS Western Wheat Quality Laboratory. Earlier in his career he held research and development leadership roles at Bay State Milling Company and Cargill, following doctoral and postdoctoral training at Kansas State University and KU Leuven. His work has focused on wheat lipids, starch and gluten functionality, and dietary fibre, with direct contributions to the commercialization of high-amylose wheat, improved fibre methodology, and seed purity testing. He has also served the cereal science community through editorial work for Cereal Chemistry and leadership roles within the Cereals & Grains Association, and he currently serves as Interim Executive Director of the Wheat Quality Council.
Together, the two recipients reflect the full breadth of the Harald Perten Prize's mission: connecting rigorous scientific inquiry with practical, industry-facing solutions that strengthen cereal quality and value chains around the world. The Prize will be presented in the form of a plaque and honorarium, at the upcoming 9th International Dietary Fibre Conference, in Norwich, UK.
The Harald Perten Prize, with its chair of the Harald Perten Foundation, Jaan Perten, aims to honor exceptional work in the areas of starch, gluten, and enzymes, with a focus on practical applications. It is presented every 2 years in connection with the ICC Conferences, and to date, 35 recipients have been awarded this prestigious prize.
Congratulations to Prof. Dr. Senay Simsek and Dr. Sean M. Finnie on their well-deserved honor!
More information about the Harald Perten Prize and the ICC Academy is available here.
