Call for Awards & Fellow nominations
The Institute of Food Technologists is accepting nominations for the 2008 IFT Achievement Awards and the 2008 IFT Fellows.
The deadlines for receipt of nominations are December 1, 2007 (Achievement Awards), February 1, 2008 (Fellows), and December 1, 2007 (Marcel Loncin Research Prize).
For more information and nomination forms, click on “Awards” at www.ift.org or contact Liz Seidlitz at 312-782-8424 or [email protected].
Call for abstracts deadline approaches
The Institute of Food Technologists announces its annual Call for Session Proposals and Abstracts for the 2008 IFT Annual Meeting. The deadline for receipt of Session proposals (Symposia, Panels, Workshops, and Roundtables) is December 17, 2007, and the deadline for Abstracts for Technical Research Papers (Oral, Poster, Division Competitions, Graduate Student Research Paper Competition, and 2008 George F. Stewart International Research Paper Competition) is January 7, 2008. New Products & Technologies Abstracts are due by February 4, 2008. All submissions are due by 4 p.m. Central Time on the deadline date.
For details on submitting proposals and abstracts, more information, contact IFT’s Knowledge & Learning Experiences Dept. at 312-782-8424 or visit www.ift.org.
Macy Award candidates sought
The Minnesota Section of the Institute of Food Technologists seeks nominations from IFT members for the 2008 Harold Macy Food Science and Technology Award.
The award, established in 1981, is given annually to recognize an outstanding example of food technology transfer or cooperation between scientists or technologists in any two of the following settings: academic, government, and industry. The award honors Harold Macy, former Dean Emeritus of the University of Minnesota and a Founding Member of IFT. The award consists of a plaque, $2,500 honorarium, and travel expenses to address the Minnesota Section at the annual Macy Award meeting in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area.
The deadline is January 31, 2008. For more information, nomination forms, and a list of past Macy Award recipients, visit www.mnift.org/macy.html. Completed forms should be sent (e-mail preferred) to Lamin S. Kassama, Chair of the Macy Award Committee, Food and Nutrition Dept., HE 223, University of Wisconsin–Stout, 415-10th Ave., Menomonie, WI 54751 (phone 715-232-1623, fax 715-232-2317, e-mail [email protected]).
Simmons joins Cognis
Sharrann Simmons recently joined Cognis Nutrition & Health, La Grange, Ill., as Senior Marketing Manager. She will be responsible for marketing strategy development and implementation for the entire Cognis portfolio of nutritional and food ingredients in North America.
Simmons, a Professional Member of IFT, has more than 20 years experience working in the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in food science from Purdue University and has attended the Executive MBA program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Graduate Management.
Boor appointed chair at Cornell
Kathryn Boor was recently appointed Chair of the Dept. of Food Science at Cornell University. She will also serve as co-director of the Cornell Institute of Food Science.
Boor joined the faculty as an assistant professor in 1994, and has conducted research on microbial stress response systems in Listeria monocytogenes and on microbial spoilage of dairy products. In addition to her research, she also directs the Milk Quality Improvement Program.
She is a Professional Member of IFT.
Cherry retires from USDA
John P. Cherry recently retired from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service where he served as Director of the Eastern Regional Research Center, Wyndmoor, Pa.
Cherry, who worked for the agency for more than 30 years, spearheaded modernization of ERRC, advanced core technologies to cutting-edge capability, and initiated the development of a BSL-3 food processing facility. The focus of research programs under his tenure has moved from one that emphasized commodities to a program with a main focus on food safety and biofuels. He also was involved in advisory and consulting activities for numerous organizations around the world.
Cherry, a Professional Member of IFT, will serve as a collaborator at ERRC.
Powers wins Riester-Davis Award
In recognition of 35 years of innovative contributions to the field of food packaging, the Food Packaging Division of the Institute of Food Technologists has awarded the Riester-Davis Award to Tom Powers, who recently retired from Multisorb Technologies and now serves as a consultant to the company.
Powers’ expertise has been instrumental in the development of a broad range of Multisorb’s active packaging solutions, including many of its moisture management technologies and oxygen scavengers.
The Riester-Davis Award recognizes lifetime achievement in food packaging technology. It was established in 1986 to memorialize Don Riester of American Can Co. and Rees Davis of Continental Can, who helped found the IFT Food Packaging Division. Riester and Davis both had distinguished industrial careers and then worked at the Food and Drug Administration, where they were instrumental in coordinating the efforts that finally led to U.S. approval of aseptic packaging systems.
IFT to host Webcast
IFT’s Knowledge & Learning Center will host an educational Webcast, “The Organics Debate: Is the Premium Worth It?” on November 29, 2007. The Webcast will present information about whether organics can meet consumer demand without compromising standards; the scientific facts relative to whether or not conventionally produced product consumption is harmful; and how consumers’ perception of organics will drive future trends in product development.
The Webcast will be held from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Central Time. If you missed a previously held Webcast, you can purchase the recording and watch it at your convenience. For more information and to register, visit www.ift.org/knowledge.
Call for scholarships
Students still have time to apply for undergraduate or graduate scholarships that are sponsored by companies in the food industry, organizations, IFT Divisions, IFT Sections, and the IFT Foundation.
Applications must be turned in to the student’s department head by February 1, 2008 (graduate, senior, and junior students), February 15, 2008 (freshman students), and March 1, 2008 (sophomore students).
Applications and instructions for the 2008–09 academic year can be obtained at www.ift.org under “Education.” For more information, contact Elizabeth J. Plummer, Manager of Foundation Development, at 312-782-8424 or [email protected].
The conference will be held on February 27–28, 2008, in Chicago, Ill. For more information, visit www.ift.org/ftpc.