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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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FAO

Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program

Rome

summer 2025

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FAO Food Safety and Quality News Service

Iowa State University students showcase agrifood system solutions at FAO

mmgrant — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:21:07 +0000

Digital Agriculture team (left to right): Amani Elobeid (ISU professor), Alaina Gebel, Tyson Fleshner, Carlo Bravi & Amol Jadhav (both FAO Investment Center) Jacob Samuelson and Ella McGrath.

Students from Iowa State University (ISU) recently showcased their research on solutions for challenges in agrifood systems at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome. This opportunity to develop and share their work with FAO’s professional staff was made possible through the ISU Dean’s Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program, an initiative designed to equip 8 to 12 undergraduate students annually with leadership and research skills tailored for real-world challenges.

The partnership between Iowa State University and FAO, which began in 2009, allows students to collaborate directly with FAO’s technical experts on diverse research topics and to gain insights into operational programs. This spring, four students from the 2024 cohort partnered with Carlo Bravi and Amol Jadhav at the FAO Investment Center on adopting digital agriculture. Another four students worked with Patrizia Fracassi and TiKian Seow in the Food and Nutrition Division, examining the role of camelids, specifically camel milk, in addressing food and nutrition challenges.

In Rome, the students spent the final month of their coursework working from ISU's College of Design facility, built in the 1500s and located in the heart of the city. On June 6, they presented their findings to FAO colleagues and Iowa State University leadership, engaging in discussions and receiving feedback.

Dan Robison, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University, expressed pride in the students' accomplishments, noting, "In Rome, FAO is an incredible partner with much more potential to engage with. We can be proud of our students there this summer (and those who have traveled there during the past 15 years). With FAO technical representatives, the student tackled two challenging topics and performed in outstanding ways. I was there to see their final presentations to FAO technical staff and leadership and via video link to others around the world."

Jocelyn Brown Hall, Director of the FAO Liaison Office for North America, highlighted the collaboration's significance, stating, "This partnership underscores the importance of bridging academic research with practical solutions, fostering meaningful contributions from youth to global agrifood systems and advancing sustainable development goals."

The experience not only provided hands-on experience for the students but also strengthened the university's longstanding relationship with FAO, continuing to enrich academic research with practical, impactful outcomes.

FAO supports the engagement of the world’s youth in science and innovation and recognizes their immense potential in transforming global agrifood systems and helping accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. FAO's Strategic Framework 2022-31 places youth, gender, and inclusion as cross-cutting themes for its programme of work.

Original article posted: https://www.fao.org/north-america/news/details/iowa-state-university-stu...

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Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program to Rome

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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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Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program

Agricultural and Rural Policy

international agriculture

Rome

FAO

Gillian Anderson

Author(s):

Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice

�������� - FAO

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

Iowa State University students showcase agrifood system solutions at FAO

When opportunity knocks

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