AigoraCast

Dr. Damir Torrico is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, specializing in the intersection of food properties, human physiology, and consumer behavior. His research focuses on flavor perception, emotional responses to food, and salt/sugar reduction strategies.

With a global academic background spanning Louisiana State University, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Costa Rica, Damir utilizes emerging technologies like virtual reality and biometrics to capture authentic consumer insights. His work aims to bridge the gap between laboratory testing and real-world eating experiences to create foods that are both nutritious and highly palatable.

• LinkedIn: Damir Torrico

• University Profile: UIUC Faculty Directory

• Expertise Areas: * Ingestive Behavior & Physiology

• Healthy Aging & Nutritional Sensory Science

• VR & Biometric Consumer Research

Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, CEO at Aigora. In this episode, I caught up with my longtime friend, Dr. Wei Qin, Global Director of the Insights Center of Excellence at Ingredion.

I particularly enjoyed her story about a flavorist using AI to find a molecule they hadn't considered. It is a great example of her view of AI as a "stretcher" for human limits. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future!

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wei-qin-50078211/

• Company: https://www.ingredion.com/

• Latest Book: Gen X Asian Americans: From Learning to Thriving Expertise Areas:

• Flavor Modulation & Sensory Measurement

• Market Research & Consumer Behavior

• Center of Excellence (CoE) Strategy

• Social Media Insights for R&D

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by Wei Qin in this episode are her own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Ingredion or Wei's former employers.

Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Aigoracast. Our guest today is Dr. Riccardo Accolla.

Dr. Riccardo Accolla is a neuroscientist and food innovation leader dedicated to creating more resilient food systems through technology and human-centric insights. As the Director of Innovation at Thimus, he applies his expertise in multisensory perception, reward, and emotion to develop product strategies that resonate with consumers on a cognitive level.

With over 20 years of experience, Riccardo's career spans leadership roles at global flavor houses and food-tech startups. He previously led the design of sustainability-tracking software at ripe.io and founded A-T4H Consulting to support "better-for-planet" food solutions. Riccardo holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the Swiss Polytechnic Federal Institute (EPFL) and a Master's in Biomedical Engineering from the Polytechnic School of Milan.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riccardoaccolla/

• Company: https://www.thimus.com/

• Expertise Areas: * Multisensory Food Perception

• Neuro-Innovation

• Sustainable Food Systems

• Consumer Emotions and Reward Mechanisms

Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of Aigoracast. Our guest today is Todd Renn, a distinguished leader in consumer insights and sensory science with over 25 years of experience driving innovation at industry giants like PepsiCo, Pfizer, Clorox, and Land O'Lakes. Holding a PhD in food science and advanced credentials in business analytics from UT Austin and Wharton, Todd excels at bridging the gap between R&D and marketing, turning complex data into clear, actionable business stories. Now the founder of Todd Renn and Associates, he is dedicated to helping organizations sharpen their commercial impact and training sensory scientists to evolve into strategic business partners.

Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, President at Aigora. In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with Thomas Wiecki, co-author of PyMC. Thomas and I turned out to have a lot in common, and it was a great pleasure to talk with an enthusiastic and like-minded traveler working to figure out this brave new world we all find ourselves in. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. And remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future.

Dr. Michelle Murphy Niedziela is a behavioral neuroscientist and founder of Nerdoscientist, specializing in integrating consumer neuroscience, behavioral science, and traditional research methods to decode consumer response. With a multidisciplinary approach, she helps organizations apply cognitive science tools to drive product innovation and strategy, bridging the gap between consumer perception, decision-making, and product experience.

Hi, I'm Dr. John Ennis, co-founder of Aigora and host of AigoraCast. This episode I enjoyed speaking with Dr. Maria Keckler, co-founder of the EmpathyRx Lab at San Diego State University. Maria is very easy to talk to, and I really enjoyed her ideas on the importance of human skills in the age of AI. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and remember to subscribe to AigoraCast to hear more conversations like this one in the future! Guest: Dr. Maria Keckler, EmpathyRx Lab, SDSU Dr. Maria Keckler is a keynote speaker, executive advisor, and strategist, known for her expertise in leadership development amidst the rise of AI. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from Claremont Graduate University, where she focused on the interplay of neuroscience, education, and behavior change. Dr. Keckler excels at bridging academic research with practical applications, empowering leaders to leverage human strengths. Her commitment to empathetic leadership is evident in her roles as co-founder of the Healthcare EmpathyRX Lab at SDSU and editor of The Structural Skills Project. Dr. Keckler is also the author of "Bridge Builders: How Superb Communicators Get What They Want" and has been honored as one of San Diego's 50 Most Influential Latino Leaders.

Links

Research: Empathyrx.sdsu.edu Website: DrMariaKeckler.com Newsletter: JustOnePivot.com Publication: The Structural Skills Project

Dave Lundahl is passionate about applying consumer insights to create a cleaner, healthier, and happier world through innovation. In 2003, he founded InsightsNow with a vision to apply behavioral science to advance product innovation. This led to the publication of Breakthrough Food Product Innovation Through Emotions Research (2011), receiving the Disruptive Innovation Award from NextGen Marketing Research (2017), securing a U.S. patent for measuring implicit reactions (2024), and now being honored with the 2025 IFT Lifetime Achievement Award for Sensory and Consumer Science. He gives back as a member of the Advisory Boards for the Department of Food Science & Technology and the Marketing Programs in the College of Business at Oregon State University.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-lundahl-a6bb45/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/insightsnow/about/

https://insightsnow.com/

Dr. Andreea Botezatu earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Oenology and Agricultural Management in Romania before working as a commercial winemaker in Europe and Canada. She later obtained her PhD in Oenology from Brock University in Canada, where she also completed a postdoctoral position. Currently an Associate Professor and Extension Enology Specialist at Texas A&M University, Dr. Botezatu's research focuses on wine aroma, fault remediation, and overall quality, utilizing both chemical and sensory analysis. She also investigates Texas wine consumer attitudes and is exploring the application of emerging technologies like blockchain and LLMs in the wine and sensory fields. Dr. Andreea Botezatu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreeabotezatu/ Visit the Texas Viticulture & Enology Facebook Page Enology Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Oo5L0jMLR57IuUb0XmBxQ To learn more about Aigora, please visit www.aigora.com

Angelica Iobbi is the Sensory Manager at Lactalis USA. She holds a PhD in Food Science and Technology from Oregon State University, where she specialized in wine sensory and flavor chemistry. Since January 2023, Angelica has been leading the sensory department at Lactalis USA, bringing her expertise in sensory evaluation, consumer research, and linking sensory and chemistry data to the forefront. Outside of her professional life, Angelica enjoys drinking wine, going for long walks, and practicing pilates.

Angelica Iobbi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelica-iobbi/

To learn more about Aigora, please visit www.aigora.com