He attended Massachusetts Agricultural College (aka Massachusetts State College, now known as UMass - Amherst) for undergraduate with a BS in Chemistry leading to a PhD in Food Technology.
Noteworthy, his was the first PhD in this modern field of Food Technology/Science, different than Horticultural Manufactures of that era.
He was also instrumental in developing the early curriculum, the departmental graduate program and recruiting students.
Powers served as head of the Department of Food Science at the University of Georgia from 1952 to 1967.
Powers organized Master's level and Ph.D. courses in 1948 for the Department of Food Science.
Designed to provide food science students with a space for activities and meetings, the activity room was made possible by donations from alumni, employees and friends of the UGA food science department.
“While instruction is the core of any college education, interaction with peers and professors in informal settings enhances the overall educational experience for students,” says Mark Harrison, a professor in the food science department.