Food Science Professor Pledges Estate Gift to Establish Food Safety Endowment
A dedicated professor in the field of food science and her spouse have committed a sizable contribution from their estate to establish a food safety endowment. This generous pledge of $200,000 will be a significant boost to the Department of Food Science, focusing on the crucial areas of microbial food safety and food safety education.
The endowment, set to be established in the future, will potentially cover costs associated with lab work for both undergraduate and graduate students. This may include travel, materials, supplies, and even scholarships and awards for deserving students.
A Legacy of Passion for Food Safety and Student Development
The professor, who has spent her life dedicated to food safety, understands the value of such funding. It not only supports students but also opens up new research possibilities. This gift echoes her lifelong passions for food safety and student development, and the department is extremely grateful for the couple's generous contribution.
The professor's academic journey began with earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pathobiology. She then went on to achieve a doctorate in food technology. Her professional career started as a microbiologist at a meat research center. However, her longing for the East Coast led her to join a dual research and extension appointment.
Esteemed Career and Research Focus
Throughout her career, her research and extension programs have concentrated on food safety, food processing, and meat microbiology. These programs have significantly benefited the meat and poultry industries in her state. Her contributions to research and extension have been recognized with several awards during her career.
The motivation behind her planned estate gift is deeply personal, influenced by her family's connections to land-grant universities and her own undergraduate experience of working in a lab.
Inspiration and Motivation
She recalls her grandfather, an extension entomologist, whose passion for agriculture had a profound influence on her from an early age. Her own experience working in a lab as an undergraduate solidified her desire to pursue research as a profession. She fondly recalls how that hands-on lab work helped her grasp the science and process of discovery, which was a game-changing experience for her.
She hopes that the endowment will offer similar opportunities for future students to delve into hands-on research and discover their own passions. She believes that research teaches critical thinking, evaluation of outcomes, and the ability to adapt and expand work. These skills are valuable across industries and can make one a more effective contributor in any field.
Having received funding herself for specific research projects, she views this gift as a chance to pay forward the generosity she received and to honor those who guided her. She wants to provide the same opportunities she had to other students, emphasizing that not all students excel in the traditional classroom environment. But when they get hands-on experience in a lab, the concepts come alive and often lead to breakthrough moments that can shape their future careers.