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Iowa State University students contribute fresh perspectives to global food safety communication at FAO Rome headquarters

mmgrant — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:21:31 +0000

Students from Iowa State University’s (ISU) Dean’s Global Agriculture & Food Leadership Programme 2025 have completed an intensive four-week experiential learning programme at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome. This year's programme has been led by a number of ISU faculty members, including Carmen Bain, Associate Dean, Dean for Academic Innovation, and Shelley Taylor, Director, Office for Global Engagement, among others. Hosted by FAO’s Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, the programme aimed to develop concise and effective food safety messages to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and residues of veterinary drugs in foods (RVDF), both critical issues interacting each other in ensuring food safety and protecting public health worldwide.

The students’ project culminated in the creation of a series of short, evidence-based messages designed to support food safety authorities, especially in low- and middle-income countries, in effectively communicating key AMR and RVDF issues to farmers, veterinary drug industries and the general public. These messages, which can later be integrated into a comprehensive FAO handbook, are intended to strengthen science communication efforts and promote awareness of AMR’s impact on food safety, as well as the importance of addressing veterinary drug residues in foods, as a foundational step in AMR management and food safety control.

Throughout their stay in Rome from 19 May to 13 June 2025, students engaged in weekly in-person meetings at FAO headquarters, where they were introduced to the complexities of international food safety regulation, AMR policy frameworks and behavioural science applications in public health. The meetings also featured interactive learning experiences, including a role-play simulation on AMR communication.

The final meeting on 12 June 2025 marked the culmination of the students’ efforts, as they presented their elevator pitches in front of FAO officers and faculty members, celebrated their achievements and discussed the path forward for applying their work in real-world contexts.

“Having a fresh set of eyes on some of our most challenging issues helps us re-examine our approaches and ensure that our messages are relevant and impactful,” Masami Takeuchi, Food Safety Officer at FAO, highlighted the importance of student engagement in the programme. “The ISU students brought energy and creativity that inspired all of us at FAO. Addressing residues of veterinary drugs in foods is a key part of managing AMR risks and protecting consumers. This project allowed us to see how concise, science-based communication can empower food safety authorities to tackle these issues effectively,” she stated.

“This collaboration provided our students with an exceptional opportunity to contribute to real-world food safety challenges while strengthening Iowa State University's global engagement with FAO,” said Smaranda Andrews, Associate Teaching Professor at ISU. “The experience challenged our students to think creatively about science communication in food safety, a skillset that is increasingly essential in today’s interconnected world,” added Shawn Dorius, Professor at Iowa State University and co-director of the programme.

The success of this programme was made possible through the collaboration and dedication of colleagues across FAO, including Jefferey Lejeune, Jorge Pinto Ferreira, Emmanuel Kabali, Raffaella Tavelli and the invaluable contributions from colleagues in Nepal (Sakar Shivakoti) and Pakistan (Riasat Wasee Ullah) who joined the preliminary online meetings. FAO’s behavioural scientists including Cortney Price and Julia Hammann from the Office of Innovation, as well as Anica Buckel from the FAO country office in Kenya, provided key insights on applying behavioural science approaches to the project, enriching the students’ learning and broadening FAO’s capacity-building reach.

The Director of the FAO’s Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, Corinna Hawkes expressed her appreciation for the students’ contributions and emphasized that the collaboration exemplifies the value of integrating academia with global food safety work. By bridging the gap between education and practice, the programme not only built critical thinking skills in the next generation of food safety professionals but also strengthened FAO’s mission to build safer and more sustainable food systems worldwide.

For more information on FAO’s food safety initiatives including the topics of residues of veterinary drugs in foods as well as AMR-related work, visit the FAO Food Safety website.

Original article posting: https://www.fao.org/food-safety/news/news-details/en/c/1738940/

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Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program

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summer 2025

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FAO Food Safety and Quality News Service

When opportunity knocks

mmgrant — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 13:49:59 +0000

When Gillian Anderson (’24 agricultural and rural policy studies, international agriculture) received an email revealing the details of an extraordinary opportunity, she thought it was unattainable, so she deleted it. Fortunately, a follow-up conversation with Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice assistant teaching professor and advisor Ramesh Balayar gave Anderson the confidence to take a second look. She is grateful she did because during the summer of 2023, Anderson was living in Rome, Italy, collaborating with a United Nations organization that combats food insecurity.

The experience, made possible through the Dean’s Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program, is administered through Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. It gives students the chance to gain valuable skills and knowledge related to global agricultural production, resources, and food issues. Students conduct coursework on campus during spring semester before spending the first month of summer break in Rome, working directly with United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) professionals.

A new direction

For Anderson, working with FAO sparked a new interest in research.

“I would love to work for a multi-national organization or nongovernmental organization doing research, something similar to what I was doing his summer,” Anderson said. “My favorite thing about this experience was the sense of purpose I got out of it, but also the opportunity to work with experts in their field in such a cool place like FAO. As a college student, I would have never pictured myself doing anything like that, so all around it was amazing.”

Anderson worked with an FAO group that researched information for an upcoming report related to genetic livestock resources. Specifically, Anderson focused on the social and political implications of gene-editing in livestock, including what regulations prevent gene-editing from progressing and how low- to middle-income countries might respond to gene-edited livestock.

She admits the research was intense, but it helped guide her future career path.

“I would like to go to grad school, either for rural sociology or international development,” she said. “I really have an interest in research and working for an organization like I did this summer. I’m also not ruling out teaching at the college level.”

A major revelation

Anderson initially planned to major in animal science when she came to Iowa State, but after a heavy dose of the hard sciences her first year, she realized the humanities were a better fit. Agriculture, however, was still her focus. That’s when Anderson discovered the agricultural and rural policy studies major in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. She appreciates the multi-faceted approach the major takes toward agriculture.

“It’s kind of like sociology and political science and agriculture all put together,” Anderson said. “You also get more than just an Iowa-centric view of agriculture. You really get a global perspective.”

Anderson can’t think of one agricultural and rural policy studies class she hasn’t loved. One of her first courses was Rural Society in Transition (SOC 230), where they discussed issues facing rural America. This hit home for Anderson, who grew up in Charles City, Iowa.

“I grew up in a rural community so I could see some of those issues being mirrored in my own community and it was really interesting to learn about why that stuff is happening and dig deeper into it,” she said.

Find your passion

Anderson credits the Dean’s Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program with opening her eyes to the possibilities that exist in the global agriculture arena. As a result, she is participating in programs in Nepal over spring break and in Uganda this upcoming summer to explore those interests even further. She advises current and future agricultural and rural policy studies students to find their passions as well.

“I wouldn’t have gotten involved with this stuff if I hadn’t found what I was really interested in and if I hadn’t fallen into ag and rural policy,” Anderson said. “I think finding out what you’re interested in and excited about just opens up everything else.”

Original story posted: https://soc-cj.iastate.edu/2024/02/05/when-opportunity-knocks/

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Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice

When in Rome…students research, explore different culture

nicolerh — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 17:21:02 +0000

Does conducting research for an international organization on the weekdays and exploring one of the most ancient cities in the world on the weekends sound interesting to you? GLOBE 497: Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program to Rome takes students to Italy for the summer, where they collaborate with scientists at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to research globally relevant topics.

The program began in 2009 and focuses on introducing students to global agriculture concepts, such as food insecurity and international food systems. During the spring semester leading up to their time in Rome, students learn about the complexity of those issues and enhance their leadership skills in the GLOBE 495 course.

Shelley Taylor, director of global programs, said the students' work in the classroom helps prepare them for their international experiences. At the end of the spring semester, the students form teams and pick the topic they will focus on while abroad, based on a list of pre-determined topics provided by the FAO.

Taylor said that even if a student doesn’t have a specialty in a given year’s topic, there is still room for them to contribute. In 2023, the projects had a primary focus on livestock genetics.

“They are supposed to be operating as a high functioning team,” Taylor said. “There might be some students that have the animal science background and know more about genetics, and others are better at policy and ethical implications of genome editing. There's a place on each team for everybody.”

This past summer, two teams made their way to Rome. The students utilize the Iowa State University College of Design’s facilities there and get the full experience of living and working at the FAO They set their own hours and work one-on-one with staff members to give progress reports and prepare for their final presentations.

“Walking into the FAO is an incredible experience,” said Jennifer Holliday, senior in agricultural studies. “You walk in and they have flags from every nation of the United Nations hanging in the main entry. The building truly shows how passionate the organization is about the work they're doing to better the world. It was like you could feel the magic in the air.”

Holliday worked with her team to research genome editing in livestock, focusing on the feasibility of implementing it in middle- and low-income countries. She was nervous about the topic since her background was more communications-centric, but as she and her team dug deeper into the research, they discovered how much they all brought to the table.

Toward the end of the international experience, each group gave a 15-minute overview of their research and results and fielded questions from members of the FAO. Holliday said the FAO set up a livestream that the students’ friends and family were invited to watch, as well as over 100 additional viewers.

“We had people attending the livestream from well over 15 countries,” Holliday said. “I think that was shocking to all of us because we realized we made an impact, not only in our lives but in so many other people's lives. They were all there to hear the research that us 20-year-olds were conducting.”

Both teams' research, “Genome Editing in Livestock” and “Challenges in Livestock Phenotyping,” will be used in the 2027 edition of the FAO’s State of Livestock In The World.

When the teams aren’t working on their research, they get to explore Rome. Taylor said there are a few planned excursions, including a trip to Tuscany to see the region’s food systems strategy. Beyond that, students are free to adventure through Rome and visit the local sights.

“We made friends with a coffee shop owner,” Holliday said. “We went there every day. We would walk in and he would already know what we wanted. There was a bakery next door, and one day the owner said, ‘Oh, we don't have the Nutella croissants today,’ because that's what I had ordered the day before. She remembered it.”

Holliday said the trip was hard work but life-changing and something she thinks about every day.

“Your eyes are opened to culture in a way that is so unique to any other study abroad experience,” Holliday said. “You get to directly work with professionals in the food insecurity industry. If you have a passion for food insecurity, this is the place to be.”

The deadline to apply for next summer’s program is Nov. 1. Taylor said that while preference is given to juniors and seniors, any classification of student from any major can apply.

^{Original story posted, https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/2023/when-romestudents-research-explor....}

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Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program

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When in Rome…students research

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Madelyn Ostendorf

�� the Dean's Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program

nicolerh — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:44:24 +0000

The Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership program is a unique, client-based international experience analyzing and evaluating complex international issues in food security, world hunger, and sustainable resource development and policy.

Under the mentorship of ISU faculty program directors, students from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will combine coursework conducted at ISU and on-site work with professionals at the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to explore real-world projects focused on global food and agriculture issues.

Skills Development: The students that participate in this program will:

assess, analyze, and evaluate complex issues
learn to do research and distinguish scientific and high-quality information
learn how to work on high-functioning teams and find solutions to complex problems
learn to identify new skills and how to integrate and develop them for other countries and specific situations
develop and evaluate a case study of a complex global issue
strengthen verbal and written professional communication skills

Cultivating Young Professionals: Students that participate in this program gain skills that benefit them for life. Alumni can be found working in diverse roles, including; veterinary medicine, nutrition, grain merchandising, ag lending, farm management, medicine, legislative policy, teaching, biology, law enforcement, marketing, and more!

Making a global impact: Each year, the FAO selects a research area for the students to evaluate complex issues associated with global agriculture and food like biodiversity, foreign food aid, food security, food safety, environmental and resource conservation, global economy and the role of the US and the UN in these issues. At the conclusion of the project, the final research is utilized by the FAO as they make policy decisions and available as a resource for other interested parties.

How to get involved:

All CALS students are encouraged to consider applying for this program.

Selection criteria includes:

Major (s) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
good academic standing
Junior or senior status (preferred)
willingness and interest in experiential learning and agriculture, natural resources, and food

Selected students will spend four weeks in Rome working on projects in addition to the pre-departure course the semester before. Students will spend 20 to 30 hours per week on their projects over the summer and will cumulate the program with a final research paper, presentation, or report for the FAO. Several field trips will also be organized around the project content and could include meetings with the US Mission to the UN Agencies, conferences in Rome with agricultural topics, and visits to local farms or food/agribusinesses. Learn more about the program or apply.

Past Projects:

2023:

Genome Editing in Livestock. Research paper, annotated bibliography and presentation (Animal Production and Health Division (NSAG) with Paul Boettcher, Roswitha Baumung, Rama Jalab and Gregoire Leroy)
Challenges in Livestock Phenotyping. Research paper, annotated bibliography and presentation (Animal Production and Health Division (NSAG) with Paul Boettcher, Roswitha Baumung, Rama Jalab and Gregoire Leroy)

2022:

Defining the Enabling Environment for Sustainable Production and Trade of Avocados in the United States. Research paper, presentation (Responsible Fruit Value Chains, Markets and Trade Division (EST) with MarloKaye Rankin, Michael Riggs, and EricJasper Karlsson)
Improving Standards and Methods for Capturing Wild Foods & Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS) in Dietary Surveys. Research paper, guidance note, summary, presentation (Forestry Division with Giulia Muir (NFO), Food and Nutrition Division with Maria Antonia-Tuazon (ESN) and Office of Chief Statistician with Simona Sorrenti (OCS))

2021:

2020: Did not travel due to covid.

Utilizing Nutrition‐Sensitive Agriculture in Sierra Leone and Ghana: Analysis of Crops and Fisheries. Research paper and annotated bibliography, development of theory of change diagrams for use in FAO conference (Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) with Patrizia Fracassi)

2019:

An Evaluation of in-vitro Meat as an Emerging Commercialized Protein Source. Research paper, annotated bibliography, technical power point, and overview PowerPoint with speaking notes (Livestock Information, Sector Analysis and Policy Branch (AGAL) with Tim Robinson and Paul Boettcher)
Sustainability Implications of the Global Shift Toward Plant‐Based Diets. Research paper, annotated bibliography, technical power point, and overview PowerPoint with speaking notes (Livestock Information, Sector Analysis and Policy Branch (AGAL) with Tim Robinson and Paul Boettcher)

Additional professional development opportunity: Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) 9th Multi‐Stakeholder Partnership Meeting: Innovation for Sustainable Livestock Systems, September 2019, Manhattan, Kansas; both teams presented posters.

2018:

Bee Health and Populations: A Comparison of Traditional Mediterranean Agriculture vs. Intensive Agriculture Production Systems in Southern Europe. Literature review and educational tool (Economic and Social Development Department with Fatima Hachem, Tomas Buendia, Ana Islas Ramos, Michele Rude and Melissa Vargas)
Addressing Sustainability of the Mediterranean Diet (MD) & Food Waste: Educating Primary School Children. Literature review and educational tool (Economic and Social Development Department with Fatima Hachem, Tomas Buendia, Ana Islas Ramos, Michele Rude and Melissa Vargas)

2017:

State of Food and Agriculture in the World report; Contribution to the SOFA 2017 Agricultural and Rural Transformation report: How can Inclusiveness and Nutrition be Drivers to Lift People out of Poverty? Research paper, information for infographics, and presentation (Andrea Cattaneo (ESD)
State of Food and Agriculture in the World report; Contribution to the SOFA 2017 Optimization of Food Systems Transitions to Enhance Human Health: Leveraging Food Systems for Inclusive Rural Transformation report. Research paper and presentation (Andrea Cattaneo (ESD)

Complete list of past projects (2009-2023)

Questions or want to learn more about the program? Contact Carmen Bain or Shelley Taylor.

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list_of_final_rome_projects_09-23.pdf