Rivalz Deepens the Roster of our All-Star Team: Meet the Experts of our Scientific Advisory Board
At Rivalz, we're on a mission to reduce malnutrition, obesity and diabetes by creating snacks that taste better, feel better and do better. Today, we're thrilled to introduce you to our new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) – a team of brilliant minds who are helping us push the boundaries of what's possible in better-for-you snacks.
You might be wondering, "Why does a snack company need a scientific board?" Well, at Rivalz, we're not just any snack company. Rivalz is designed and led by world renowned foodies and scientists, and we’re pioneering a scalable platform, to deliver higher protein, higher fiber and low glycemic index snacks while maintaining optimal texture, flavor and nutrition. To fully leverage the Rivalz unique approach, we need the best and brightest in nutrition, AI, and food technology. That's where our SAB comes in.
Meet Our Experts
Dr. Heather Leidy is a nutritional physiologist from the University of Texas at Austin who's revolutionizing how we think about protein and fiber and the health benefits these nutrients provide. Dr. Leidy's current research focuses on how the amount, quality, and timing of protein intake can affect our health and well-being. Why does this matter for snacking and at breakfast? Her work shows that high-protein diets can help with satiety, managing weight, and controlling blood sugar. Dr. Leidy has given over 100 invited research talks and has more than 70 original research publications. She was also a member of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee where her expertise has helped to shape nutrition recommendations for the entire country!
Next, we have Dr. Alan Rudolph from Colorado State University, our visionary on complex biological systems design. Dr. Rudolph brings a wealth of knowledge in translating principles and practices from evolutionary adapted systems including artificial intelligence and biotechnology. He's published more than 100 technical papers and has experience in scaling his ideas into enterprises result in real-world applications and improved health care. At Rivalz, Dr. Rudolph is helping us harness the power of AI to create snack formulations that are optimized for both nutrition and taste. His diverse body of work includes the application of science for discoveries in everything from biometric patterns in movement disorders, sensomics (including olfactory and taste), cellular immunology and bioinspired robotics and computing. This interdisciplinary approach will be key for our innovative snack development process.
Rounding out our team is Dr. Girish Ganjyal, who is a faculty at Washington State University. Dr. Ganjyal is a world leading expert in food science with deep knowledge of food extrusion – the manufacturing process that gives Rivalz Stuffed Snacks their satisfying crunch. With over 9 years of industry experience, including time at PepsiCo, Dr. Ganjyal knows how to take a great recipe and turn it into a snack you'll love to munch on. His knowledge will help us identify the best way to optimize our process for creating snacks with the perfect crunch while exploring new ingredients that enhance the nutritional value of our snacks. His extrusion expertise will help us open the door to exciting new innovations.