EDUCATION NEWS

Ohio State’s Food Science Dept. gets new home
The Dept. of Food Science and Technology at Ohio State University is settling into its new home, the Parker Food Science and Technology Building.

The $17-million, three-story, 40,000-sq-ft facility was made possible through overwhelming support from the food industry and alumni. It was named in honor of the generosity, gratitude, and on-going support of Thomas L. Parker, who graduated from the university with a B.S. in Business Administration in 1943. The university received a $3 million gift from Parker in support of the building and the Parker Excellence in Dairy Foods Program, which supports research, teaching, and outreach in the field of dairy foods. The program complements the existing J.T. “Stubby” Parker Chair in Dairy Foods, which Parker established in memory of his late father.

Parker is the retired Chairman and President of the former Big Drum, Inc., the packaging manufacturing company founded by his father. The company is a direct descendant of the Frozen Drumstick Sales Co., an ice cream novelty company founded by the elder Parker and his brother in 1928.

The Parker Building features a dairy foods pilot plant, retail dairy store, 20 state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories, and a sensory science laboratory.

Moody appointed department head at LSU
Michael W. Moody was recently appointed Head of the Food Science Department at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.

Moody earned his Ph.D. in Food Science with a concentration in Marine Science from LSU in 1973. From 1974 to 1976 he worked as a food technologist for the Food and Drug Administration, providing expertise on the development and amendment of food standards and compliance with FDA regulations, including GMPs. He met with industry and academic representatives to discuss challenges, initiatives, and goals for consumers and the U.S. food industry. From 1976 to 2000, Moody worked as seafood specialist and technologist with the LSU Agricultural Center Cooperative Extension Service and the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program.

He teaches a senior-level course in food and drug laws, standards, and regulations and has advised several graduate students in applied research on seafood safety, processing, and preservation. He is an expert in the field of HACCP and SSOP regulations and has co-authored manuals and trained students on the subject.

Throughout his career, he has been a member of several professional societies and served on a number of committees relating to food safety and seafood products. Moody is also a Colonel (O-6) in the United States Army Reserves, from which he plans to retire from active duty this May after a 32-year career.

Wrolstad named Distinguished Professor
Oregon State University named Ronald E. Wrolstad Distinguished Professor of Food Science and Technology for outstanding contributions in his field.

Considered to be the university’s highest recognition, the award is given to only two faculty members each year. Individuals are honored for achieving national and/or international stature through their contributions to scholarship and research, as well as the influence of their work on their field of specialization. Exhibiting outstanding teaching skills is also a factor.

Wrolstad’s research has focused on anthocyanin pigments and polyphenolic compounds in cherries, strawberries, blackberries, and other small-variety fruits. His focus has been on natural colorants in fruits. A member of IFT, Wrolstad was named a Fellow in 1993.