Priera Panescu Scott, Ph.D.
LEAD SCIENTIST, PLANT-BASED
Priera Panescu Scott is focused on analyzing plant-based meat and proteins and how to best expedite their progress.
Areas of Expertise: food and agriculture systems, materials science, polymer chemistry, plant-based ingredients
Priera uses she/her pronouns.
Priera’s role at GFI focuses on accelerating the plant-based meat industry through analyzing their plant-based protein landscape, identifying emerging technological solutions and bottlenecks, and communicating with other scientists about advancing alternative protein research. Priera has bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and math from the University of California, Santa Cruz as well as a master’s and a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to joining GFI, Priera spent almost a decade focusing on polymer, formulation, and materials chemistry research. Particularly, she honed these skills for food security applications by creating novel sustainable agriculture materials and compounds.
Videos
Articles and op-eds
Open Your Mind to Unicorn Meat
GFI’s Priera Panescu Scott speaks to advances in the taste of plant-based meat using fermentation and cultivated ingredients.
Is your favorite plant-based milk good for the planet? Here’s how they compare.
GFI’s Pri Panescu on the environmental benefits of plant-based milks.
The AI platform behind a Bezos-backed startup’s vegan burgers
GFI’s Dr. Priera Panescu Scott talks to Bloomberg about supply chain challenges and potential solutions in the plant-based food space.
Publications
Land use analysis for alternative proteins and U.S. climate goals
The land use analysis by GFI and Highland Economics describes land use and land restoration opportunities of increasing alternative proteins in the American food system to help achieve U.S. climate…
Plant-based meat manufacturing capacity and pathways for expansion
The analysis quantifies the existing global plant-based meat manufacturing landscape and evaluates pathways for expanding capacity to meet future demand.
Preventing oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids before and after addition to alternative seafood products
This article describes approaches to prevent oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids in alternative seafood products.
Podcasts
Pondering plant proteins, potato progress – Between The Rows
GFI’s Priera Panescu discusses the growing need for plant-based proteins and the long road to becoming a mainstream food choice for consumers
Plant-Based Milks Go Mainstream – KQED’s Forum
GFI’s Priera Panescu speaks to the food science and environmental benefits of plant-based milks.
Featured blogs
Research on animal-free fats presents un-fat-homable possibilities for meat alternatives
GFI’s new grantees aim to improve in-fat-uation with plant-based meat by creating the next generation of tasty, sustainable, and healthy animal-free fats.
