Dr. Savita Sharma joined as Head of the Department of Food Science and Technology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on December 09, 2022. A distinguished scientist with over 36 years of dedicated service in the field of food science, Dr. Sharma began her career at PAU as Assistant Dough Rheologist in 1989, progressing through roles including Dough Rheologist and Principal Food Technologist. Her specialization lies in Cereal Technology, with significant contributions to bioprocessing of grains, value addition, and development of functional cereal-based products like specialty pasta enriched with nutraceutical ingredients such as herbs, millets, legumes, and food industry by-products.

In her academic career, Dr. Sharma has guided 24 MSc and 14 PhD students as major advisor, and served as a mentor or collaborator for numerous others. She has played a vital role in curriculum development, laboratory setup, and teaching innovations at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. As Principal Investigator or Co-PI, she has led eight research projects funded by national agencies. She has published over 250 scientific papers, authored eight books, and delivered more than 150 invited lectures.

Dr. Sharma is a recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including the 2022 Fellowship from the National Academy of Dairy Sciences and several best paper recognitions. She is a life member of numerous professional bodies and actively represents the university in academic boards, BSMA, and national committees. Her work continues to inspire innovation in functional food product development and grain valorization in India and beyond.