P. Michael Davidson, Ph.D. - Member
Dr. P. Michael Davidson is Professor of Food Microbiology and Head of the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Davidson received a BS in Microbiology from the University of Idaho in 1973, an MS in Food Science from the University of Minnesota in 1977 and a PhD in Food Science from Washington State University in 1979. He joined the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Tennessee in 1979 and achieved the rank of Professor in 1989. From 1991-1998, Davidson was Professor of Food Microbiology in the Department of Food Science and Toxicology at the University of Idaho. In 1999, he returned to the University of Tennessee. He has taught courses in food microbiology, thermal process microbiology, and sanitation and has directed and served on committees of over 100 graduate students.
Davidson served as Chair of the Food Microbiology Division of the American Society for Microbiology (1993) and Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) (1997) and in 2000 was presented the Distinguished Service Award from the IFT Food Microbiology Division. Dr. Davidson has authored or co-authored over 110 refereed journal articles and book chapters, primarily in the areas of food safety and food antimicrobials. He is co-editor of the books, Antimicrobials in Foods, 3rd Edition and Food Additives. Dr. Davidson currently serves as Scientific Co-Editor of the Journal of Food Protection. He was elected Fellow of IFT, the International Association of Food Protection and the American Academy of Microbiology. Davidson’s research interests are characterization of regulatory-approved and naturally occurring food antimicrobials and determination of thermal resistance characteristics of foodborne pathogens.