F. Xavier Malcata was born in Malange (Angola) in 1963. He earned a B.Sc. degree in Chemical Engineering (5-year program) from the College of Engineering, University of Oporto (Portugal) in 1986; a Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering/Food Science from the University of Wisconsin - Madison (UW), in 1991; and a Habilitation/Professorship degree in Food Science and Engineering from the Portuguese Catholic University (UCP) in 2004.
During his outstanding career in teaching and research, Prof. Malcata has held academic appointments as: Teaching Assistant at UCP (1985-1987) and UW (1988); Lecturer at UW (1989); Assistant Professor at UCP (1991-1998); Associate Professor at UCP (1998-2004); and Full Professor at UCP (2004-2010), Instituto Superior da Maia (2010-2012), and University of Oporto (2012-). His teaching responsibilities have encompassed (among others) thermodynamics, transfer phenomena, fluid mechanics, system dynamics and control, applied biochemistry, enzyme engineering, bioprocess engineering, bioreactor technology, bioresource engineering, food technology, and industrial projects of B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Food Engineering and in Bioengineering.
Prof. Malcata has held professional appointments as: Dean of the College of Biotechnology of UCP (1998-2008) - with major responsibilities for the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Food Engineering; President of the Portuguese Society of Biotechnology (2003-2008); Coordinator of the Northern Chapter of Chemical Engineering, and Funding Member of the Specialization in Food Engineering of the Portuguese Engineering Accreditation Board (2004-2009); Official Delegate of the Portuguese Government to the VI and VII Framework R&D Programs of the European Union, in the key areas of Food Quality and Safety (2004-2006) and Food, Agriculture, and Biotechnology (2006-2013); and Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit University/Industry Extension Associations AESBUC (1998-2008) and INTERVIR+ (2006-2008), and the nonprofit Entrepreneurial Biotechnological Support Associations CiDEB (2005-2008) and INOVAR&CRESCER (2006-2008).
He has been the recipient of several international distinctions and awards, namely: election for membership in Phi Tau Sigma (honor society of Food Science) in 1990, Sigma Xi (honor society of scientific and engineering research) in 1990, Tau Beta Pi (honor society of engineering) in 1991, and New York Academy of Sciences in 1992; the Cristiano P. Spratley Award in 1985 and the Centennial Award in 1986, by the University of Oporto; the Ralph H. Potts Memorial Award in 1991, the Young Scientist Research Award in 2001, and election as Fellow in 2014, by the American Oil Chemists' Society; the Foundation Scholar Award - Dairy Foods Division in 1998, the Danisco International Dairy Science Award in 2007, the Distinguished Service Award in 2012, election as Fellow in 2013, and the International Dairy Foods Association Teaching Award in Dairy Manufacturing in 2020, by the American Dairy Science Association; the Canadian/International Constituency Investigator Award in Physical Sciences and Engineering in 2002 and 2004, by Sigma Xi; the Excellence Promotion Award in 2005, by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology; the Edgar Cardoso Innovation Award in 2007, by the County of Gaia (Portugal); the Scientist of the Year Award in 2007, and election as Fellow in 2012, by the European Federation of Food Science and Technology; the Samuel C. Prescott Award in 2008, election as Fellow in 2011, and the William V. Cruess Award in 2014, by the Institute of Food Technologists; the International Leadership Award in 2008 and the Elmer Marth Educator Award in 2011, by the International Association of Food Protection; and decoration as Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 1999, by the Government of France.
Among various complementary areas of research, Prof. Malcata has placed a major emphasis on: microbiological and biochemical characterization, and technological improvement of traditional foods; development of nutraceutical ingredients and functional foods; characterization of grape pomace, and improvement of spirits obtained therefrom; and rational application of unit operations to specific agri-food processes. To date, he has published more than 450 papers in peer-reviewed science journals, which have witnessed 400,000+ downloads and received more than 15,000 documented citations by the scientific community - supporting an h-index of 59. He has supervised 31 Ph.D. dissertations that were successfully concluded, and written 12 monographic books and edited 4 multi-authored books; furthermore, he has authored more than 70 chapters in edited books and 35 papers in trade journals, besides approximately 50 technical publications. He has been a member of 74 peer-review committees of research projects and fellowships, and, has acted as supervisor of 90 individual fellowships. He has collaborated in 45 research and development projects - of which he served as principal investigator in 36. He has participated in 50 organizing and scientific committees of professional meetings. He has delivered 150 invited lectures worldwide, besides more than 500 volunteer presentations in professional meetings, congresses, and workshops. He has served on the editorial boards of 5 major journals in the food science and applied biotechnology areas. He has also reviewed more than 600 manuscripts for international journals and encyclopedias.
Prof. Malcata has been a longstanding professional member of the Institute of Food Technologists, as well as the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Oil Chemists' Society, the American Dairy Science Association, and the International Association of Food Protection.
