Cal Poly creates dual master’s degree programs with China university
Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences recently announced a new dual master’s degree program in cooperation with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, one of the oldest universities in China. The program will allow two Jiao Tong students to study dairy science in San Luis Obispo.
Phillip Tong, director of Cal Poly’s Dairy Products Technology Center, said the program is extraordinary in that participants will graduate with two degrees – a master’s in food science from Jiao Tong, a science and technology-focused campus often thought of as China’s MIT, and a master’s in agriculture with specialization in dairy products technology from Cal Poly.
The program is launching as China’s dairy industry experiences rapid growth, in part because of government’s efforts to bolster residents’ nutrition by increasing dairy consumption. The recent growth in dairy consumption has challenged China’s dairy technology infrastructure and, as a result, its ability to develop a strong safety system.
“The food industry in China is quite advanced overall, and consumers are seeking more value-added foods. So the potential is there for dairy,” Tong said. “Cal Poly has a chance to play a role in helping China ensure a safe and healthy food supply.”
This will be the only dual-degree program in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, said Associate Dean Mark Shelton. However, it is a pilot program, and more could follow in the college.
The program is also the next step in the college’s continuing connection with China. Tong first visited China 15 years ago as part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture team, and began traveling there regularly to conduct educational seminars on dairy science through the U.S. Dairy Export Council. The Dairy Products Technology Center began hosting visiting scholars from China about a decade ago.
Other Cal Poly news...
Jimenez-Flores Leads Spanish Cheesemaking Course for California Artisan Cheese Guild
Cal Poly Professor Rafael Jimenez-Flores and Mariano Gonzalez, head cheesemaker for Fiscalini Cheese, recently led a Spanish-language cheesemaking seminar for the California Artisan Cheese Guild. The course led 25 participants through basic cheesemaking topics, such as the effect of temperature on culture, the microscopic characteristics of bacteria, measurement of pH, and the science behind traditional cheese recipes. The seminar is part of the guild’s ongoing educational series for members. Information about the guild and its programs is available at www.cacheeseguild.org.
Annual Dairy Ingredients Symposium Returns March 10-11
Dairy ingredients will be the focus of the 11th annual Cal Poly Dairy Ingredients Symposium, which will be held March 10-11 in San Francisco. Each year, the event attracts more than 200 food and beverage formulators, marketers and dairy ingredient manufacturers to examine current and evolving dairy ingredient science, hot issues affecting the current food marketplace (such as food safety) and practical implications of recent industry advances for the business practices of food manufacturers – from sales and marketing strategies to manufacturing technology and more.
This year, the event will again host the annual presentation of the William C. Haines Dairy Science Award, which was created by the California Dairy Research Foundation to recognize individual scientific contributions to the dairy industry. Event information is available at www.dairyingredients2009.com.
