Jason Ball returned to the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center as a Senior Faculty Research Assistant I and Product Developer in early 2025. Jason works on the Product and Process Development Team at the FIC. 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 from 2021 - 2024, Jason 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.
Prior to his relocation to Norway, Jason spent more than 7 years working for Oregon State University’s Food Science Department as Culinary Project Manager for the Product & Process Development Department of the Food Innovation Center (FIC). In this role, he managed client service contracts and provided technical support for producers, processors, marketers, entrepreneurs, and food companies (national & international). Jason also assisted the Product and Process Development Research Director, faculty project leaders, scientific research personnel and affiliated program specialists and inter-agency collaborators in identifying client’s needs and securing extramural grants/contracts. He had a special focus on food & beverage research and development, often consulting with industry clients to develop value-added food products (for all categories), modify existing formulations to meet client needs or specifications, and assist with new product development (bench to scale up).
Previously Jason has worked in industry in Chicago, New York, London, and Copenhagen. He holds a B.S. in Culinary Science from the Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY).
