Get to know us … is a new feature for UF/IFAS CREC social media. In it we get to know one of the faculty, staff or students working at UF/IFAS CREC and perhaps learn something new and unusual about them.
Meet Roy Sweeb. Roy is the Pilot Plant Manager at the UF/IFAS CREC Processing and Packinghouse Pilot Plant . The CREC Processing Pilot Plant contains most of the equipment necessary to perform studies related to citrus, beverage, and by-products processing. Included are the operations of fruit washing and sizing, state test extraction, juice extraction and finishing, centrifugation, evaporation, pasteurization and filtration. Research capabilities are available to support the studies of the scientists and for cooperative industry projects.
Fresh fruit pilot plant facilities are available for degreening, packing-line treatment and storage studies of citrus and other produce. Automated equipment has been incorporated in to the packing-line to size and sort fresh fruit by color, density and blemish criteria. Multiple temperature controlled rooms are available for experiments on fresh citrus and other commodities.
What brought you to UF/IFAS CREC?
I was born in Suriname (formally Dutch Guyana) and raised in Miami. After high school, I received an Associate in Science from Miami Dade Community College and got accepted into the University of Florida. After graduating with a Bachelor in Agricultural Engineering, I joined the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC).
You have been at CREC for a few years. What has that been like?
Since I came to the CREC in August of 1990, I have seen many changes in the citrus industry that have been challenging. I joined the engineering team and assisted in research contributions for the industry in the spray technology, harvesting, and the packing house program.
What are some of your reflections about your 30 year career at CREC?
These programs have their unique and self-fulfilling challenges. There are a few publications where I was a co-author involving the spray technology program with Dr. M. Salyani (emeritus) where most of my career was spent. Shortly after the spray technology program, I was involved in the harvesting program with Dr. R. Ehsani and have recently joined the packing house with Dr. M. Danyluk.
In my career I have seen many new faces from many parts the world come and go and served under four center directors. With the new students, post doctorates and colleagues I learned a lot and had fun doing the tasks involved.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
My major accomplishment involved assisting students and Ph.D. candidates reach their goals which gave me a feeling of self-fulfillment.
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