Dr. Okkyung (Okky) Chung will retire
30 September, 2005, with over 31 years of service with USDA-ARS-GMPRC,
Grain Quality and Structure Research Unit (GQSRU), Manhattan,
KS. Her career began in 1974 as a Research Chemist. She became
Research Leader in 1987 of the GQSRU, Director of the 68-year
old Hard Winter Wheat Quality Laboratory (HWWQL) and Supervisory
Research Chemist. She received her B.S. degree in Pharmacy from
Ewha Woman s University, Seoul, Korea; M.S. degree in Analytical
Chemistry, and Ph.D. degree in Grain Science and Industry, both
from Kansas State University. Dr. Chung has made significant contributions
to basic and applied research in studies on the characterization
and quantification of cereal lipids, interactions between lipids
and other wheat flour components, functionality of native wheat
flour lipids and mechanisms of the improving effects of lipid-related
materials (surfactants) in breadmaking. In addition, she has contributed
to the improvement of U.S. HWW cultivar releases by evaluating
and providing with intrinsic (milling and baking, more recently
tortilla and noodle) quality of HWW progenies.
Dr. Chung has produced many Ph.D. and M.S. students as co-major professor. Her research accomplishment is evidenced by her publication of over 200 papers, including two theses, and 12 book chapters, in addition to nearly 200 abstracts. Dr. Chung is included in various HWW cultivar registrations including Ike, Arlin, Karl 92, 2137, and Jagger of the Kansas wheats; Tandem, Crimson, Harding, and Expedition of the South Dakota wheats; Ankor, Hatcher, Bond CL, and Protection of the Colorado wheat; and numerous germ plasm releases and registrations.
Dr. Chung has gained national and international stature as proven by many honors and numerous awards, nearly 200 invitations to various functions, and many offices and committee chairs held in several national and international professional societies. She is a full professor on courtesy appointment and is a member of the Graduate Faculty at Kansas State University. She served on the Editorial Board of the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) as Associate Editor for Cereal Chemistry (1978-81), as the Technical Program Chair of the 74th AACC National Meeting (1988-89), symposia and short course organizer/lecturer, book reviewer, and editor of proceedings. Dr. Chung co-organized and coedited three International Wheat Quality Conferences (1987, 2001, and 2005) and their proceedings. She has served on the Board of Directors of the AACC (1989-91 and 1993-99), Korean Scientists and Engineers Association in America (KSEA) (1990-91) with 8,000 membership, and International Association for Cereal Science and Technology (ICC) (1994-2005). She is the U.S. Official Delegate to the ICC since 1994 and served as President of AACC (1997-98) and President of ICC (2000-02). Some of her awards and honors include: the W.E. Long Merit Award for Outstanding Graduate Research in North America; the W.F. Geddes Memorial Award, John C. Halverson Memorial Lectureship, and a Fellow of the AACC; Gold Medal Award for Summa Cum Laude and Distinguished Alumni Award, Ewha Woman s University; International Gluten Association s Best Paper Award; Friedrich Schweitzer Medal Award of the ICC; USDA Secretary s Group Honor Award; and numerous plaques and certificates of appreciations. She is a frequently invited international lecturer and advisor.
Dr. Okky Chung is globally known as 'The AACC Students Mother' because of her contribution to mentoring students and young scientists. For the 25 years (1978-2003), since its inception, she has initiated the Student Travel Award Program and personally collected funding which paid, in part, for trips to the AACC national meetings for 1,450 students from all over the world with over $180,000. In addition, when Dr. Chung represents the USA to international scientific organizations, she delivers more than just scientific findings or knowledge to international customers. Exchange of culture, trust, and friendship among international colleagues/customers requires a higher degree of diplomacy. Dr. Chung s excellent leadership in people skills and her exuberant personality make her a superb ambassador representing ARS, U.S. agriculture, science, and technology.