Spring Commencement May

Rivero wanted big questions and got them, beginning with a grant the lab received to focus on increasing the safety of fresh produce. The research also hopes to increase farm productivity, reduce the risk of losing a crop, and reduce environmental impacts in agriculture.

That might mean focusing on “killer microorganisms” or pathogens in water, Rivero says, adding that it’s especially important in hydroponics, where there’s no soil and plants are uniquely sensitive to whatever happens in the water.

“If we have a pathogen in the water, it’s likely going to contaminate the whole thing.”

Plasma is the fourth state of matter, and there are two types of plasma for engineering purposes, Rivero says.

“For certain applications, we know what it does, but using cold plasma in the food industry is very complex and with many variables, so I spent a lot of time using different equipment to treat air, water and finally, produce.”

So far, tomatoes, peppers, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and basil respond well to the use of plasma, which would allow farmers to grow year-round and make a little more money than compared to limited rotations or seasons in traditional agriculture.

The Big Picture

“What we’ve been doing has been a benchtop situation,” Rivero says. “But the results we’re getting in the lab bring really interesting possibilities for bringing it to scale.

“If this comes to market and scale-up occurs in a successful way, we could design equipment and bring technologies that could save hundreds of thousands of liters of water in terms of treatment, disposal and cost. It could be transformational for the industry.” Rivero hopes to leave high-quality, reliable and consistent research that other people can build upon: “I take a lot of pride in how I conduct research in a way that is easily accessible for multiple fields. Because it isn’t just food science working on this, it’s a multidisciplinary situation.”

Rivero also points to the Food Science Club as a pivotal campus experience.

“One of the best things I’ve done outside of research, and it was really formative, was participating in Dairy Bar, the biggest yearly fundraiser for our Food Science Club.

“It was useful for me in a technical sense, so far as job skills, but as a person, it gave me a huge sense of purpose. The money from that fundraiser supports the weekly meals that we have together, and I really appreciated that little community moment. It also supports scholarships, even the scholarships that I have been awarded, so that felt like a huge honor to contribute to that and give back.”

“NC State is one of the very few places in the country where engineers can join the food science department, so it made a really good fit for me.”

What’s Next?

Rivero hopes to pivot the NC State experience to a career in continuous improvement or process engineering.

“I did a lot of research on plasma, but I also got a lot of transferable skills, such as project management, quality validation, safety validation, and understanding regulations. In 10 years, it would be amazing if I could get to the level of a plant manager, and the food industry is a long-term goal.

“I’m very intentional about continuing with engineering, because it’s where I get most of my joy.”