Kang Huang

Dr. Kang Huang is an Assistant Professor in Biological Systems Engineering at Washington State University (WSU), located in Pullman. He previously held academic roles at The University of Auckland (Senior Lecturer, 2022–2023; Lecturer, 2019–2022) and completed postdoctoral research at UC Davis (2015–2019) and UMass Amherst (2013–2015). He earned his Ph.D. and B.E. in Biosystems Engineering from Zhejiang University.

His research focuses on food and biomaterials engineering, addressing challenges at the microbe-material interface in agricultural systems. Key areas include bio-based delivery systems, functional materials for food safety, and AI-driven food system design. His work combines food process engineering, material science, and microbiology, with notable contributions to antimicrobial coatings, phage-based biopesticides, and sustainable cooling media.

Dr. Huang leads the Food and Biomaterials Engineering Lab at WSU, collaborating on projects funded by national and international grants. He has published extensively in journals like Advanced Science, Small, and Food Research International, and holds an award for his 2017 research on plasma-activated water in food safety. His teaching includes courses in food engineering and process design.

Current research emphasizes eco-friendly materials, such as cellulose sponges for cold chain safety, and biomimetic sensors using machine learning. He actively mentors students and seeks collaborators to advance sustainable food systems and microbial control technologies.