IDF announces the winners of the 2025 IDF Professor Pavel Jelen Early Career Scientist Prize
The International Dairy Federation (IDF) is proud to announce the winners of the IDF Professor Pavel Jelen Early Career Scientist Prize 2025. This prestigious award honours outstanding early-career scientists. Eligible candidates include graduate and postgraduate students who have completed their highest degree within the past three years.
Named in tribute to Professor Pavel (Paul) Jelen, a Czech-born Canadian scientist and educator known for his dedication to dairy research and mentorship, the prize celebrates innovation, scientific excellence, and the importance of open communication in the dairy sector.
This year’s competition attracted a strong field of applicants. Submissions were evaluated by a panel of expert judges from IDF’s Standing Committees.
IDF is proud to announce the 2025 winners:
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First Prize: Zheng Zhao (University of Alberta, Canada) for her work on the optimization of fermentation cultures for sustainable dairy production. As the recipient of first place, she will be granted:
- A plaque recognizing the achievement
- A complimentary registration to the IDF World Dairy Summit 2025 hosted in Chile (IDF WDS 2025)
- An honorarium of €300
- A travel expense up to €700 to support attendance at the IDF WDS 2025
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Second Prize: Mengxiao Yang (Riddet Institute, Massey University and Fonterra Research and Development Centre, New Zealand) for her research project titled “Milk Protein–Enzyme Interactions: Mechanistic Insights into Gastric Digestion and Implications for Dairy Processing”.
She will receive:
- A printed certificate recognizing the achievement
- An honorarium of €200
• 
Third Prize: Markos Managos (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) for his project on greenhouse gas emissions and its contribution to the food system from dairy cows fed best practice diets.
He will be rewarded with:
- A printed certificate recognizing the achievement
- An honorarium of €100
All winners were invited to present their work, both as a poster and a short oral presentation, at the IDF World Dairy Summit 2025, taking place in Santiago, Chile, from 20 to 23 October. In addition, they will have the opportunity to publish their research and accompany video presentations on the IDF website and blog.
“The next generation of scientists is pivotal in advancing research ideas and fostering innovation within the dairy industry. This prize is designed to motivate early-career scientists to present their research findings and embark on a career in dairy science,” stated Dr. David Everett, Chair of the IDF Professor Pavel Jelen Early Career Scientist Prize and a member of the IDF standing committee on Dairy Science and Processing Technology.
IDF extends its sincere congratulations to the winners and thanks to all applicants for their exceptional contributions.
