Ronald Pegg

Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator

Areas of expertise

Food SciencesChemical EngineeringNutrition and DieteticsAnimal ProductionPlant BiologyHorticultural Production

About

Functional foods and nutraceuticals; bioactive properties of phytochemicals particularly those of interest to Georgia; separation and identification of bioactives; shelf-life extension strategies for foods; meat science; development of analytical assays for foods.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Food Science

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada (1994)

Bachelor of Applied Science, Chemical Engineering

University of Toronto, Canada (1986)

Awards and Honors

Outstanding Editorial Board Member Award (2026)
Student Careet Success Influencer Award 2024 (2025)
Outstanding Reviewer Award (2024)
UGA CTL Senior Teaching Fellow (2023)
Merit Award (2023)
UGA CTL Senior Teaching Fellow (2022)
Fellow of the IFT (2020)
Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professorship (2019)
Fellow of the ISNFF (2018)
University of Georgia Teaching Academy, Class of 2017 (2017)
Outstanding Undergraduate Professor, 2015-2016 (2016)
UGA Costa Rica Adelante Award (2016)
North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Educator Award (2016)
William V. Cruess Award (2016)
Dedication and Service to the Pecan Industry for International Educational Seminar Series (2015)
Oustanding Undergraduate Professor, 2014-2015 (2015)
IFT 2015 Tanner Award (2015)
D.W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching (2015)
Oustanding Graduate Professor, 2013-2014 (2014)
First-Year Odyssey Seminar Program Teaching Award (2014)
Richard B. Russell Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2013)
North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Teaching Award of Merit (2013)
Oustanding Undergraduate Professor, 2011-2012 (2012)
2011 Outstanding Teacher Award (2011)
Oustanding Undergraduate Professor, 2009-2010 (2010)
2010 Early Career Teaching Award (2010)
Oustanding Undergraduate Professor, 2007-2008 (2008)
Young Scholars Internship Program Certificate of Recognition (2007)
Lilly Teaching Fellowship (2006)
Young Scholars Internship Program Certificate of Recognition (2006)

Courses

FDST 7020E: Integration of Multidisciplinary Topics in Foods (Fall 2025)
FDST 9000: Doctoral Research (Fall 2025)
FDST 8800: Special Problems in Food Science (Fall 2025)
FDST 7070E: Functional Foods (Fall 2025)
FDST 7020E: Integration of Multidisciplinary Topics in Foods (Spring 2026)
FDST 3000: Introduction to Food Science and Technology (Spring 2026)
FDST 9000: Doctoral Research (Spring 2026)
FDST 6080L: Instrumental Methods of Food Analysis (Spring 2026)
FDST 4080: Instrumental Methods of Food Analysis (Spring 2026)
FDST 6080: Instrumental Methods of Food Analysis (Spring 2026)
FDST 4080L: Instrumental Methods of Food Analysis (Spring 2026)
FYOS 1001: First-Year Odyssey Seminar (Spring 2026)
ALDR 2050: The Impact of Food on World History and Culture (Spring 2026)
FDST 2050: The Impact of Food on World History and Culture (Spring 2026)
FDST 7020E: Integration of Multidisciplinary Topics in Foods (Summer 2026)
FDST 9000: Doctoral Research (Summer 2026)
AESC 3150: Topics in International Agriculture (Summer 2026)
FDST 4800: Special Problems in Food Science (Summer 2026)
SABD 1574: SA Food Indust Germany Italy (Summer 2026)
FDST 7020E: Integration of Multidisciplinary Topics in Foods (Fall 2026)
FDST 9000: Doctoral Research (Fall 2026)
FDST 9300: Doctoral Dissertation (Fall 2026)

Scholarly Works

O62 Pecan phenolics modulate the inflammatory response by affecting the NF-κB signaling pathway, Abstract in Proceedings of the 18th International Society for Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (ISNFF). Conference & Exhibition 2026, (2026).
Huang J, Ellestad L, Pegg R
Sideroxylon Obtusifolium (Roem. & Schult.) TD Penn: Knowledge and Potentialities, PLANT FOODS FOR HUMAN NUTRITION, (2026).
Conceicao LDS, Vanare SP, Pegg RB, Otero DM
Comparative metabolomics of resistant and susceptible pecan leaflets uncovers early defense responses to scab infection, BMC PLANT BIOLOGY, (2026).
Kang MJ, Ogundipe SO, Bhattarai G, Pegg RB, Kerr WL … 3 more
Integrative Metabolomics and Machine Learning Approach to Uncover Scab Resistance Markers in Mature Pecan Trees, JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY, (2026).
Kang MJ, Pegg RB, Kerr WL, Wells ML, Conner PJ … 1 more
Novel approach for the discovery of bioactive peptides from corn gluten meal: Artificial intelligence-assisted in silico screening to select peptide purification and bioactivity confirmation, Agricultural & Food Chemistry Division program and abstracts in Cornucopia, Spring 2026, (2026).
Ogundipe SO, Pegg R, Suh J

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