NCFPD is proud to announce that Patricia Hatch, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Hampton University, will join Charles Young’s project at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory this summer as part of DHS’s MSI Summer Research Team Program.  This program provides opportunities for faculty members and undergraduate and/or graduate students in the science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines to work on collaborative research with a DHS Center of Excellence.

We have had great success with this program in the past, with Salam Ibrahim of North Carolina A&T State University, George Ude of Bowie State University and Cecilia Serrano of the National Hispanic University.  We wish Patricia and Charles a productive summer of research.
 

Faith Mrutu, NCFPD Operations Manager, presented "We are Family: Administering Collaborative Center Awards" at the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) Region IV - Midwest Annual Meeting 5/4/08 - 5/7/08 in Kansas City.  The presentation has been chosen as a discussion session at the 50th NCURA Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. 11/2/08 - 11/5/08.  Congratulations to Faith!

Download the Presentation

Download "Tools and Tips: Administering a Successful Center Award"

The National Center for Food Protection and Defense will hold an Open House Monday, April 21st from 3PM-6PM in our new offices at 144 Veterinary Science Building (1971 Commonwealth Ave) on the University of Minnesota's St. Paul Campus.  Come see our new offices, meet us, eat some food, and hear about our research opportunities! 

There will be a short welcome presentation at 3:30 and food and refreshments will be served. 

Here is a map to our location, and a PDF of the flyer.

We hope to see you there!

Two of Vangie Alocilja's graduate students, Michelle Packard and Shannon McGraw, each received a SMART (Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation) fellowship from the Department of Defense to pursue a PhD degree in Biosystems Engineering (biosensors research) at Michigan State University. The fellowship includes full tuition and fees, a $1,000/yr book allowance, full health insurance, a paid internship, and a stipend.  Congratulations to Michelle, Shannon, and Vangie!

NCFPD would like to congratulate Sudeshna Pal and Michael Wiederoder of Michigan State University, both students on Vangie Alocilja's projects.  At Michigan's College of Engineering Academic Awards and Recognition Reception, Sudeshna was awarded Outstanding Graduate Student in Biosystems Engineering and Michael was given a Service Award.  Congratulations to both students!

Five NCFPD students presented posters at the 2008 DHS University Network Summit.  PDFs of the posters are available by clicking on their names:

Kim Cowden, North Dakota State University

Megan Frisk, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Azadeh Namvar, University of Guelph

Stella Opendi, North Dakota State University

Seungkyung Park, Old Dominion University

The Food Industry Center, with funding from the National Center for Food Protection and Defense, has designed a Best Practices in Food Defense Diagnostic Tool. The diagnostic tool will help companies benchmark their current practices and provide a report of their answers as compared to the industry average, industry leader, and the gap between the user and industry leader.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, FY08/09

NCFPD is now considering applications for project funding through a peer-review process. Below are links for NCFPD’s Year 4/5 Supplemental RFP, which identifies continuing research needs in the area of food defense, focusing on select agents in complex food matrices (Aims 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7)

Aims 1.3 and 1.2, in that order, are considered to have highest priority.

Procedures for submitting abstracts (part I) and proposals (part II) are outlined in the RFP. If you need additional information, contact NCFPD at 612-624-2458 or ncfpd@umn.edu.

RFP [Word Document]
Budget Form [Excel]