Mehmood Khan, M.D., executive vice president and chief scientific officer, global research and development at PepsiCo, will deliver a keynote address at Tuskegee University’s inaugural George Washington Carver Lecture Series in October, organizers announced today.

The new one-day event is part of Tuskegee’s year-long celebration marking the 150th anniversary of Carver’s birth and honoring his 47-year legacy of scientific achievement during his tenure at Tuskegee University. The lecture series is organized by the university’s Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences (FNS), the Food and Nutritional Sciences Advisory Board (FNSAB), and the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutritional Sciences (CAENS).

The first George Washington Carver Lecture Series will take place on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center located on the Tuskegee, AL, campus. The event will feature a range of expert lectures highlighting Carver’s many ground-breaking accomplishments in the field of food and nutrition science under the theme, “Impact of George Washington Carver: Innovations in Food and Nutrition Sciences in the 21st Century.”

“We are very pleased that Dr. Khan will join us in the fall as we honor and preserve Professor Carver’s groundbreaking scientific legacy, and his many other scholarly and humanitarian contributions to society,” stated Jerry Roberts, FSNAB president. “Given Dr. Carver’s lasting innovations in the field of food and nutrition science, we are particularly pleased to have a noted health professional and scientist of Dr. Khan’s caliber sharing his expertise and insight at this inaugural lecture.”

In his role, Khan leads company-wide research and development (R&D); recruits highly regarded clinical scientists, global health leaders and medical experts; launches research projects with leading universities; and opens advanced R&D facilities. As executive vice president, Khan leads a global team of experts in nutrition, medicine, research, science, marketing/branding, ingredient sourcing and product innovation. He directs PepsiCo’s enterprise planning, portfolio development and execution of new technology to grow the company’s nutrition-focused brands in four areas: grains (Quaker), fruits (Tropicana), vegetables (Sabra) and dairy (Wimm-Bill-Dann). Khan also currently serves on the board of directors of the New York Academy of Science and the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, and is a former committee member of the American Diabetes Association and the National Institutes of Health, among others.

The George Washington Carver Lecture Series is supported by the National Park Service and the George Washington Carver Museum, located on the Tuskegee University campus. Event sponsors include Kellogg Co., Kerry Ingredients, ConAgra Foods, Starbucks, and the National Peanut Board. Several international non-profit scientific organizations have also pledged their support. For George Washington Carver Lecture Series program, speaker, sponsor and registration information, visit www.carverlecture2014.eventbrite.com.