Jason Ball has recently returned to the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center as a Senior Faculty Research Assistant I and Product Developer. Jason is part of the Product and Process
Development Team at the FIC and his work utilizes creative thinking, innovative techniques, and scientific principles to develop value added food and beverage products across all categories. Many of the projects that Jason works on are focused around new product development, ingredient applications, resource utilization, or innovative food science research. Previously, Jason worked as a project manager for the Nordnorsk kompetansesenter MAT (North Norwegian Competence Center for Food, NKMAT) and teacher for the Restaurant and
Food Science program at Mosjøen Videregående Skole (upper secondary school for agriculture and natural resources) in Mosjøen, Norway (just 60km below the Arctic Circle). Jason’s work at NKMAT aimed to increase competence, innovation and development within food processing
and food production in Northern Norway. In addition, NKMAT coordinated the ‘Feeding Europe’ program for the Bodø 2024 European Capital of Culture project and has been working towards stimulating entrepreneurship and innovation in food production while promoting sustainability
and a circular economic mindset throughout the value chain with many different project initiatives in Norway, Europe, and Asia. In these combined roles at NKMAT & MVS in the past 2.5 years, Jason has applied for and secured over 1.6 million nok (approx. $150,000 usd) in project funding. He has also coordinated or presented project work in Iceland, Estonia, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Finland.
Previously Jason has worked in industry in Chicago, New York, London, Norway, and Copenhagen. He holds a B.S. in Culinary Science from the Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY).