MSU Alumni Magazine, Fall 2004 issue - MSU Alumni Association ...

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MSU PLAYS With news of the threat of terrorism abroad and in our own country, the specter of terrorism looms as near to us today as it did in the days following Sept. 11, 2001. This year has seen a bolstering of defense protocol in our transportation systems, at events such as political conventions and the Olympics in Athens, and in immigration and naturalization policies. One potential target of terrorism that continues to be overlooked is in our own kitchens, workplaces, schools, supermarkets and restaurants: our food supply. This point is not lost on Michigan State University researchers and educators, including Edward Mather, deputy director of the National Food Safety & Toxicology Center at KEY ROLE IN HOMELAND SECURITY By Kirsten Khire and Trent Wakenight, M.A. ’04 MSU is playing a key role in homeland security, such as helping protect the integrity of our food supply. MSU, who is heading a food defense education effort nationally. “Our nation’s food supply is vulnerable to attack,” Mather explains. “It is an area that continues to be overlooked and yet, if an intentional contamination event did occur, it would affect us all. The human health and economic implications cannot be underestimated.” Mather and other MSU colleagues met in July with U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman to formalize the creation of a National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD). Various departments at MSU will join partner universities throughout the U.S. in developing the coordinator at the National NCFPD, funded at $15 million Food Safety & Toxicology over a three-year period. Center at MSU. “MSU is in a very unique position and we bring a lot to the defense capabilities of our na- One facet of shoring up the table,” Mather said. “Not only tion’s food supply is recognizing do we have strong programs in that a safer food supply rests food safety, but we have nationally renowned expertise in fields system. “No longer can we upon a safer food supply chain such as supply chain management, diagnostics, packaging problem at just one store, think of food protection as a and criminal justice.” restaurant, production facility “A key to MSU’s participation or processing plant,” says Wakenight. “When there is a prob- is the training of professionals to be able to deal with intentional lem at the farm level, for example, this affects everyone up that contamination events, a need that is currently unfulfilled as chain to, ultimately, the fork the U.S. is faced with a lack of level or consumer level.” food protection and defense expertise and has few academic approach presents a dire need. For the state of Michigan, this programs that address this Not only do Michigan residents shortage,” says Trent Wakenight, educational program state, but as the number consume foods produced in our two MSU faculty are uniquely poised to investigate supply chain security in general and food security in particular. CLICK RIGHT THROUGH FOR MSU msualum.com PAGE 35
Photos by Trent Wakenight (L to r), Edward Mather of the NFSTC/MSU, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and David Closs of MSU met in Washington, D.C. on July 6. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge (right) met with Ian Gray (left) of MAES/MSU and Mather on July 6. A problem at producer of agricultural products in the U.S., Michigan foods proach was replicated here in Michigan with participants Community Health and the NFSTC, summit participants the farm level . . . make their way to dinner plates everywhere. “A problem in our from the grocery industry. Outcomes from that session have gathered with a singular mission: to ensure that Michi- affects everyone state could trickle down to multiple states and an exponentially included the realization that there are communication gaps gan’s food supply is prepared for a contamination event, that it up that chain to the fork level larger number of consumers,” says Wakenight. While the NCFPD project maintains a national focus, the NFSTC has been closely in- throughout our food supply chain, but that there are producers, processors, retailers and law enforcement personnel dedicated to tackling the problem. can prevent such an event, or respond should an event take place, and to become equipped to recover from an intentional event. or consumer level. volved in shaping a safer food supply in the state of Michigan. In April, Mather and MSU colleagues participated in a tabletop exercise in Maryland aimed at simulating an actual contamination event in the restaurant This same conclusion has been reached through a series of ongoing Food and Agricultural Protection summits conducted quarterly in Michigan since June 2003. Convened jointly by the Michigan Dept. of Agricul- Kirsten Khire is Director of Communication for the National Food Safety & Toxicology Center at MSU; Trent Wakenight , M.A. ’04, is the NFSTC’s Outreach industry. In May, the same ap- ture, the Michigan Dept. of Communicator. PAGE 36 FALL 2004 MSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Page 2 and 3: Michigan State University • Fall
Page 4 and 5: INBASKET CLICK RIGHT THROUGH FOR MS
Page 6 and 7: Historical Collections. The black a
Page 8 and 9: VET MED CENTER FOR ONCOLOGY The Col
Page 10 and 11: CLICK RIGHT THROUGH FOR MSU msualum
Page 12 and 13: TRANSFORMING LIVES. MARK SIMON Boca
Page 14 and 15: TRANSFORMING LIVES. GUY P. AND ALIS
Page 16 and 17: TRANSFORMING LIVES. GREGORY AND LIS
Page 18 and 19: and we’re a great fit,” says We
Page 20 and 21: Michigan State University Alumni As
Page 22 and 23: Years: 1993-2004 MSU Trustee David
Page 24 and 25: Col. David V. Adams/USAF In 2003, M
Page 26 and 27: The Chairperson’s Perspective Wit
Page 28 and 29: Thank You. Andrew and Sandra Conner
Page 30 and 31: A SPARTAN CONQUERS MOUNT EVEREST B
Page 32 and 33: They thought that climbing Mount Ev
Page 34 and 35: Visit us on the web at www.ShopEast
Page 38 and 39: MSU SUPPLY CHAIN FACULTY FOCUS ON F
Page 40 and 41: Celebrate the holidays with Michiga
Page 42 and 43: this is the place to do it with win
Page 44 and 45: M.S. Le Diamant. Begin in Portugal
Page 46 and 47: “We need to keep coming at people
Page 48 and 49: MSU ICERS IN 2004-2005 After finish
Page 50 and 51: PERFECT GIFTS FOR SPARTANS OF ALL A
Page 52 and 53: Spartan alumni band, and two of the
Page 54 and 55: SPARTAN SPIRIT 2004—Sparty made h
Page 56 and 57: MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY MSU Alumn
Page 58 and 59: S H O W S O M E P R I D E O N Y O U
Page 60 and 61: Add a little Class to your life! LI
Page 62 and 63: tional and The Kansas City Star bef
Page 64 and 65: John C. Calhoun, ’58, of Flint, J
Page 68: MSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE MSU Union, Abbo

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