Overview
Dr. Abby Snyder is an Associate Professor of Food Science at Cornell University, where she leads a research lab focused on microbial food safety. Her work examines how surfaces and spaces inside food processing plants affect the germs that live there, how to stop germs from spreading from one surface to another, and how bacteria and molds survive cleaning. She earned a bachelor's degree in food science from The Ohio State University in 2012 and a doctorate in food microbiology from Cornell in 2017. Before joining Cornell's faculty in 2020, she worked as a food safety extension specialist at Ohio State, where she led training courses for food companies and helped them develop food safety plans. Her lab also runs a research group studying how to reduce germ risks during infant feeding.
Why She Matters
Dr. Abby Snyder represents the science behind food safety. Her research on how germs survive and spread inside food plants helps companies design better cleaning and prevention plans, the same kinds of plans inspectors review. Her work on infant feeding shows how food science can protect some of the most vulnerable people of all. For young people interested in food safety, Snyder's career shows that you do not have to work in a factory or a government office to make a difference. Scientists and researchers make the discoveries that shape food safety rules and improve the way food is made. Her path from undergraduate student to Cornell professor shows the power of curiosity, persistence, and a commitment to public health.
