IFT NEWS
IFT offers continuing education courses prior to Annual Meeting
Eight two-day and two one-day continuing education courses are planned for this year’s Pre-Annual Meeting program in June.
Programs one through eight are two-day courses. Program 1 is “Food Product Development Based on Experience.” A team of seasoned instructors will share their experiences and observations, as well as look at a case study and several short case history lessons. The instructors hope to help registrants understand product development from perspectives that go beyond the laboratory, as well as help them improve their product development success ratio.
Program 2 is “Food Engineering Fundamentals for Food Product Development.” Participants will learn the engineering fundamentals needed to select processing parameters, how these parameters impact product properties, and how to apply and measure the appropriate parameters. They will also learn pasteurization and sterilization practices.
Program 3 is “Emerging Beverage Technologies and a Regulatory Outlook for the New Millennium.” It is a technical program offering information on the latest beverage industry trends relating to products, processing, and packaging. Other topics include regulatory issues, such as Codex, HACCP, and GMOs.
Program 4 is “Sanitation & GMP Compliance: Prerequisites for HACCP & Food Quality.” The information offered will help processors implement the necessary programs to comply with food safety regulations and still compete in the marketplace. It is intended for mid-level managers, technical and nontechnical personnel, quality professionals, and production personnel.
Program 5 is “Process Control for the Food Processing Industry.” The course is intensive and focuses on developing an effective strategy to increase quality and productivity and reduce process variability, product reworks, and waste.
Program 6 is “Project Management for R&D Professionals,” which focuses on understanding the art and science of project management. Participants will be equipped with a set of tools to use during the development and execution phases of cross-functional team projects.
Program 7 is “HACCP: Risk Management of Chemical Hazards on the Food Industry.” It provides an overview of the most common chemical hazards in food and food processing operations, as well as their impact on public health. Participants also learn a practical approach to managing these hazards.
Program 8 is “Fat: The Good, the Bad, and the Future in Product Development.” It provides basic information on new nutritional trends in fat consumption, as well as practical information on the technology involved in formulating products for today’s marketplace.
Two one-day programs are also available. Program 9 is “Successful Selling and Negotiation Skills.” Participants will learn concepts and develop skills to guide clients through the phases of a sale and negotiation. Program 10, “Presentation Skills for Food Professionals,” helps develop the skills and confidence to organize and present clear, professional and persuasive presentations to audiences of any size.
All two-day programs will be held this June 22-23 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in New Orleans, La. Program #9 is scheduled for June 22, and Program 10 is scheduled for June 23 at the same facility. For more information, contact IFT’s Professional Development Department at 221 N. LaSalle St., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601. Call 312-782- 8424, fax 312-782-0045, or visit the Web site at www.ift.org.
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Media relations manager joins IFT staff
IFT’s Chicago office recently welcomed James N. Klapthor to his new role as media relations manager.
Klapthor will serve as IFT’s connection to the news media and the public. He will work with the journalism community, IFT’s Food Science Communicators, and other experts in food science and technology to communicate the scientific perspective about food issues.
Klapthor comes to IFT from Albion College, a national liberal arts college in Michigan, where he spent the past two-and-a-half years as director of media relations. While there, he connected regional and national news media to academic developments on campus, earning the college favorable exposure in more than 70 news outlets nationwide, including the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Associated Press, National Public Radio, and CNN.
He also created and managed a statewide radio sports network for Albion, the first of its kind in the state and one of the few radio networks in the nation for a liberal arts college. In addition, he brings to IFT 10 years experience in radio and television broadcasting in Michigan and California, as news and sports director, producer, anchor, reporter, and writer.
A graduate of Western Michigan University, Klapthor is actively involved in the community, providing leadership for numerous action teams and volunteerorganizations.
Funds still available for Fellows university visits
Funds are still available for this fiscal year (ending August 31, 2001) for IFT’s Fellows University Visitation Program. The program brings IFT Fellows to universities for periods of one to several days to give seminars, consult in their areas of expertise, and mentor students. The Fellows donate their time and receive no remuneration or honorarium. IFT reimburses them for their travel expenses up to a maximum of $500 per visit. The university is responsible for travel expenses beyond $500, as well as for local expenses, such as meals and accommodations.
More than 100 Fellows have offered to share their experience and expertise with the next generation of food scientists. Their names and areas of expertise can be found on IFT’s Web site at www.ift.org/careers, under “IFT Fellows University Visitation Program.” The list has also been sent to university food science administrators and IFT student chapter presidents.
Only departments that meet the IFT Minimum Standards for Undergraduate Curricula in Food Science are eligible to participate in the program. Visits to departments that do not meet IFT’s minimum standards may be considered on a case-by-case basis if the departments intend to submit their curriculum for approval. Expanding the program to make the program available to Regional Sections as well is under consideration.
Department heads take the initiative in inviting a Fellow to visit at a mutually convenient time by first contacting Neil H. Mermelstein at the IFT office (phone 312-782-8424, fax 312-782-8348, e-mail [email protected]) to obtain the Fellow’s phone number and to determine if sufficient funds are still available, then contacting the Fellow directly to arrange a visit at a mutually agreeable time. Student chapters wishing to invite a Fellow must have their department head arrange the visit.
Since its inception in 1995, the program has provided transportation funds for 49 visits. Fellows (in alphabetical order) who have completed visits by the end of 2000 include Larry Beuchat, Andre Bolaffi, Malcolm Bourne, Aaron Brody, Gloria Brooks-Ray, Frank Busta, Walt Clark, Al Clausi, Bill Davidson, George Flick, Daniel Fung, Richard Hall, Dennis Heldman, Paul Jelen, Joe Jen, David Lineback, John Litchfield, Larry McKay, Roy Morse, Joe Regenstein, Mary Schmidl, Fred Shank, Herb Stone, Steve Taylor, Jim Vetter, Connie Weaver, and John Whitaker.
Universities that have invited Fellows include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Brigham Young, California-Davis, California State, CalPoly State, Chapman, Cornell, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa State, ITESM, Kansas State, Laval, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, North Dakota State, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Rhode Island, Rutgers, South Dakota State, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Utah State, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin.
Election as an IFT Fellow is a unique professional distinction conferred only on a living person with outstanding and extraordinary qualifications and experience for his or her overall contributions in the field of food science and technology. The criteria for election as a Fellow, as well as instructions for nominating candidates, can be found on IFT’s Web site at www.ift.org/careers, under “Awards, Scholarships & Fellowships.”
by SARA LANGEN KAROTTKI
Assistant Editor