Purnendu. C. Vasavada Professor Emeritus University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls, WI. 54022, USA Presented at ISKEI_ FOOD 2011 Bringing Training and Research for Industry and Wider Community 2 nd International ISEKI Food Conference Milan, Italy, 31 August-2 September, 2011 Great Hall of the University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono Food Science and Technology Education in the US: Trends, Challenges and Perspectives. Overview !! Introduction !! Food Science &Technology Education in the US !! IFT “recognized” Programs !! Trends influencing Food Science Education !!Changing paradigm – knowledge dissemination - Active learning !! Challenges !! Perspective !! Summary Food Science and Technology as Academic Discipline !! 1950-1960s Food Science and Technology programs originated from commodity- based disciplines !! Recognition of unifying principles in food preservation and processing, and need for approaching problems and developments in the fast growing food industry on scientific basis !! Most universities developed food science departments by merging/changing commodity based departments. i.e. Dairy Science, Meat Science, Cereal science. Food Science and Technology as Academic Discipline !! Under stress and struggling for recognition, visibility and relevance. !! Encouraging Trends in placement !! Enrolment very encouraging for some, not so for others. IFT and Food Science & Technology Education !! Minimum standards for undergraduate curriculum established in 1966 !! Revised in1977, 1992, 2010 !! Established core curriculum, organization and budget, minimum faculty, facilities, required courses and other recommended courses and skills !! Core competencies required of all undergraduate food Science students !! Undergraduate Curriculum Minimum Standards designed to assure rigorous scientific training and develop professional skills for students enrolled in IFT approved curriculum. !! Defined Food Science and Food Technology !! Differentiated from Home Economics (Nutrition and dietetics) and commodity production. !! “Recognition” vs. formal accreditation !!IFT “ Recognized” Programs meet or exceed Minimum Standards for Undergraduate Education !!Reviewed and approved by the IFT Higher Education Review Board !! Students from recognized programs can compete for undergraduate scholarships IFT and Food Science & Technology Education IFT “Approved” Universities/Programs !!48 IFT approved programs !! 40 in the US !! 8 in Canada, Mexico, Indonesia and China !! Not all options meet IFT requirements !! A few undergraduate programs phased out UW RF UW Madison Food Science and Technology Education at the UW River Falls !! UW-River Falls Food Science major started in 1969. First graduates in 1973. !! New Pilot plants and Laboratory facilities - 1982 !! FS program peaked at > 55 students and 4.5 FTE !! Decline in enrolment, FTE reduction due to budget cuts, Resource competitions with other majors and program – mid 1990s-2000s !! FS enrolment bounced back to 45 + in 2007 but program suspended as a result of strategic planning and resource reallocation- 2011. Trends Influencing Food Science and Technology Industry Consumer Regulatory !! Industry !! Consumer !! Regulatory !! Globalization !! Sourcing and supply chain management !! M&A. and Workforce issues !! Economics and business climate !! Industry practices- GFSI, SQF, ISO !! GATT-Codex !! Government Regulations - FSMA 2011 !! Consumer demands for Nutrition, Wellness and health, Organic, Natural, Ethnic food, Local foods, Carbon foot print Trends Influencing Food Science an Technology [...]... team work and taking initiative !! Support Develop and Encourage participation in international and study abroad programs Summary !! Food science education in the US is facing many challenges !! Trends and employment prospects are encouraging !! Many challenges need to be addressed urgently !! Promising future! “Best of the times and the worst of the times…” Charles Dickens Summary “ It was the best... students !! Science fairs and technology contests & Scholarships !! Retention of FR, So, and transfer students Food Science and Technology Education – Perspective !! Food Science as a scientific discipline at a crossroads !! Need to “advocate” Food Science to decision makers- internal and external !! Be a spokes person and unabashed champion of Food Science !! Emphasize Learning, skills and talent development.. .Food Science and Technology Education - Trends !! !! !! !! Enrollment levels and sources Gender and diversity Recognition of Food Science as a scientific discipline Changing paradigm- from instructional to learning (knowledge dissemination to learning and skill development) !! International study tours and semester/year abroad !! Undergraduate Research !! Growth of Nutrition, Dietetics and Culinary... was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the. .. Marketing R & D , Product development and Sensory Quality Assurance and Regulatory affairs Food engineers BS, MS, PhD levels SHORTAGES OF TALENT IN INDUSTRY !! Food Safety !! Bakery Science !!Dairy Science !!Sensory Science !!Regulatory Affairs Best industry to be in a bad economy Moira McGrath- Opus International 2011 Undergraduate Research and other innovative programs !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! Coop Internship... Internship Food Industry Fellow Undergraduate Research Special Problems High School Ambassadors HACCP certification Cheesemakers course Pasteurization school Food Science and Technology Education Challenges !! Professional Identity/recognition !! Retention and recruitment of students !! Students” quality” and background and academic preparation prior to enrolling in Food Science !! Information explosion and. .. teaching loads, Infrequent course offerings and dropping of “lab- based” courses !!Industry- University partnerships and major endowment /fund raising efforts Enrollment Trends !! Food Science enrollment increased by 25% or more since 2007 !! Some universities with < 90, a few w/ others 40-75 and others with 2600 total undergraduate enrollment !! No of graduated ~ 500 Students in IFT Programs... disciplines Budget Cuts Affect Food Science Programs !! Drastic and sustained budget cuts !! State support reduced from >48-50% to < 20% !! Emphasis on “extramural” funds generation by faculty to support research !! Salary cuts, Mandatory furloughs , hiring freezes !! Reduced, Lab support, field trips and other activities !! Key courses taught by temporary and “adjuncts” staff !! Increased teaching loads,... employment !! Hiring improving in 2010 !! Many major projects and investments started !! More opportunity for 2011 grads WHAT’S HOT! !! Food Safety !! Microbiology !!Product Development !!Technical service/ Marketing !! Quality Assurance !! Sanitation Source: Moira McGrath,, 2011 CURRENTHIRING TRENDS FOR FOOD SCIENTISTS2011 WHAT’S HOT! – Food Safety !! Why? !! Well publicized outbreaks and recalls, food safety... acquiring skills and Knowledge !! Social media and attention gap !! Faculty recruitment, retention and rewards !! Graduate students training !! Facility upgrades and maintenance Employers seek more than technical knowledge Source: Melissa Kahn, 2011 Professional Identity/recognition !! Food Science identity crisis !! Academic major housed in Agriculture College !! Not recognized as a STEM discipline . Technology Education in the US: Trends, Challenges and Perspectives. Overview !! Introduction !! Food Science & ;Technology Education in the US !!. Recognition of unifying principles in food preservation and processing, and need for approaching problems and developments in the fast growing food industry on