is offered to one recent graduate with a Bachelor's Degree or higher in Food Science, Animal Science, or Food Policy from an accredited college or university with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Fellow will work 35 hours a week in the Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP) offices.
Work will focus mainly on a designated research project, in conjunction with Michigan State University (MSU) Online Food Safety program (OFS) while also participating in other activities that support learning and experience in food safety. The Fellowship is based in Chicago with a salary of $31,000.
Responsibilities
~ Complete a research project as determined by Fellow, STOP CEO, and MSU OFS Director, that aligns with STOP's mission and contributes to the organization. (All work will be completed during the one-year program.)
~ Complete MSU Online Food Safety Certificate program.
~ Familiarize themselves with current STOP constituency, Speakers Bureau and Honor Wall.
~ Attend annual IAFP meeting to announce the award as a representative of STOP.
A friendship with one of the founders of Stop Foodborne Illness (who lost a child to E. coli O157:H7) profoundly influenced Dave to keep a photograph of her daughter, Lauren Beth, in his wallet throughout his career, to remind him of the devastation wrought by foodborne pathogens. As a result, he worked tirelessly to create a culture of food safety.
Dave was hired as senior vice president and chief food safety officer for Jack in the Box in 1993, as the San Diego fast food chain was reeling from a massive and deadly outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. Four deaths, including Lauren Beth’s, and hundreds of illnesses were blamed on the burger chain that some said would not survive. Top management made an early decision to give Dave Theno complete authority over food safety. He implemented a comprehensive Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan and then required a finished product testing protocol, test and hold, that initially irked others in the meat industry before it was almost universally adopted. Dave remained with Jack in the Box for almost 16 years.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology and science journalism from Iowa State University and master’s and doctoral degrees in food microbiology and animal sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dave Theno’s leadership in responding to the 1993 outbreak and challenge of E. coli O157:H7 has been recognized by numerous scientific and industry organizations.
Stop Foodborne Illness is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.
