News & Announcements
IN REMEMBRANCE
EDWARD C. MATHER
 Edward C. Mather DVM, Ph.D. Okemos Age 72, passed away on January 27, 2010 at Hospice of Lansing. He was born on April 7th, 1937 in Iowa City, Iowa. Ed spent his early childhood on a farm near West Branch, Iowa. He received a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1960 and expanded a veterinary practice in Fennimore, Wisconsin until 1968. At that time he joined the faculty at the University of Missouri at Columbia, obtaining a Ph.D. in Reproductive Physiology. He remained on the faculty as an Assistant Professor and became board certified in the American College of Theriogenology. In 1974 he was appointed Director of the Division of Theriogenology at the University of Minnesota where he was promoted to Professor. Dr. Mather came to the College of Veterinary Medicine at MSU in 1978 as chair of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences. After serving for 14 years he then joined the CVM Dean's office as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies as well as Coordinator of International Programs for the College. In 1998 he was appointed Deputy Director of the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center at MSU and became Interim Director in 1999. During that time he established the Professional Master of Science Degree Program in Food Safety, an on-line program which attracts both domestic and international students. He retired from MSU in 2008 as Professor Emeritus. Ed is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary, and two children: Major Brent Mather, USAR (Kristi) of San Antonio Texas, and Katherine (Jim) Siegel of Lake Bluff, Illinois; four grandchildren: William and Margaret Mather, and Thomas and Griffin Siegel. Other survivors include his sister Barbara Parker, Edgewood, NM; sister-in-law Mildred Mather, West Branch, IA; and two nieces. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, brother Stewart, and two nephews. Ed and Mary traveled extensively and spent one year together in Vienna, Austria, while assigned to the United Nation's International Atomic Energy Agency. He gave lectures, conducted research and vacationed in 42 sovereign nations during his lifetime. He was active in the Presbyterian Church of Okemos, where he served as Elder and in other roles. He was a member of the John Hannah Society at MSU. He was especially honored to be named an Honorary Alumnus of the College of Veterinary Medicine at MSU. During his lifetime he served as a member of Kiwanis International for over 40 years. He contributed extensively to the American Veterinary Medical Association, having been elected to Specialty Boards and Councils. He served on the national board of the Agency for International Development, the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Homeland Security. He was a member of the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association. Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at the Presbyterian Church of Okemos at 2258 Bennett Road, Okemos, on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at 3:00 p.m. with the Rev. Dr. Robert T. Carlson officiating. Interment will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday in East Lawn Memory Gardens, Okemos. The family will receive friends at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 1730 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing on Saturday from 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorials may made to the Presbyterian Church of Okemos, 2258 Bennett Road, Okemos or to the Edward and Mary K. Mather Food Safety Student Recognition Award Endowment (A6304), MSUCVM Development, F130 Veterinary Medicine Center, East Lansing, MI 48824-1314. Online condolences may be made at www.gorslineruncimanfuneralhomes.com
Published in Lansing State Journal on January 29, 2010
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SPRING 2009 GRADUATES!
L to R: Jill Fisher, Natasha Isaacs-Cosgrove, Angie Lawless, Chris Yol, Susan Linn, Cristina Rau
Watch the group receive their degrees at the May 8 MSU Commencement Ceremony by clicking here; go to the Advanced Degree video and to 1:30:32 on the timer.
ALUMNUS TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS
We extend congratulations to Alumnus Michael Roberson, Director of Corporate Quality Assurance, Publix Super Markets, Inc., on his outstanding performance testifying before the United States Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee in support of S.510, The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009. Details of the hearing are available at the US Senate Help Committee website: click here.
Science Magazine of the American Association for the Advancement of Science recoginzed the Online Master of Science in Food Safety Program in an article titled, Graduate Education Professional Science Master's Program Merit Wider Support. Read article.
Professor and Packaging Expert John Spink is featured on the MSU News Special Report, watch his presentation, view here.
The Online MS in Food Safety Advisory Council has been assembled
Read who they are and where they come from. Read more
ENTHUSAISM FOR NEW E-PAL PROGRAM
The new E-Pal Program - an effort to connect current students with Alumni - has brought significant response. To learn how you can participate in E-Pal read more.
CONGRATULATIONS
TO THE 2008 SUMMER GRADUATES
Usha Kalro
Mark Calhoun
Professional master's degree programs in the sciences should be expanded say a new report from the NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL. Read more
Weekly Lecture Series View latest videos |
Outstanding Alumnus
As Manager of Regulatory Affairs for the Dairy Foods division of Land O’Lakes, Inc., Alumnus Tim Hight has his hands full. His duties include FDA/USDA/State contact approvals/compliance issues, all label review/approval, religious certification (kosher, halal), Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) preparation, regulatory training, bioterrorism facility registrations, reportable food registry contact, and SOP preparation.
Referring to the education he received in the Online MS program, Tim said, “The global structure of the MS classes and the ability to freely interact via the class discussion boards are the best features of the MSU program, and I took full advantage of these opportunities. I have also learned since I completed my studies that by now having a Masters degree, I have the credentials I need to interact with food safety subject matter experts around the world- my MSU credentials speak for themselves in this regard.”
To read more about Tim and and his research, click here.
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Featured Faculty
 Dr. Phil Schertzing is a major contributing faculty member in Food Protection and Defense, VM/CJ 821, who brings with him an extraordinary amount of real-world experience. He explains that his, “primary background and focus is that of a practitioner, but one with a genuine appreciation for the multifaceted benefits that accrue from the intellectual exercise of scholarly debate, research and academic education.”
With the rank of inspector, serving as the assistant state director of emergency management and homeland security for Michigan, he retired from the Michigan State Police in 2002. He came to MSU and is currently working as an academic specialist in the Outreach Unit of the MSU School of Criminal Justice. He received a Ph.D. in American History. To read more about Dr. Schertizing click here.
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