A nationally-recognized leader in food science research has been named the new chairman of Texas Tech University's Department of Animal and Food Sciences today (Jan. 20), according to officials with the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resource. Leslie Thompson is also the first woman to take the helm of the highly successful agricultural academic unit at the university.

"Over the last 15 years our department has experienced tremendous growth and success in teaching, research and service under the leadership of our former chairman, Dr. Kevin Pond," said Thompson, who currently serves as a professor and associate department chairman with the CASNR department.

"Our department is grateful to Dr. Pond for his distinguished, dedicated service and leadership to the department, college and university," she said. "I am extremely fortunate to be able to follow in his footsteps as chair. I am excited and honored to be named the new chair of Animal and Food Sciences and I look forward to working with our outstanding faculty, staff and students and the CASNR administration toward a continued shining future."

In the past Thompson has focused her research efforts on processing effects on the microbiological quality, safety, sensory and nutritional properties of foods. Two years ago she served as interim chairman of the department during a seven-month period.

"I am extremely pleased that Leslie Thompson will be leading the department," said John Burns, dean of Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. "She will build on the extraordinary accomplishments the faculty and students have provided over the years, and her outstanding academic credentials and deep experience will be a tremendous asset as we move into the future."

Thompson's classroom duties have included teaching courses in food chemistry, chemical and instrumental analysis of agriculture products, processing oilseeds and cereal grains, topics in food technology, poultry production, and food sanitation management.

She joined Texas Tech's faculty in 1986 as a visiting assistant professor of food technology and was named associate department chairman in 2001 and professor of food science in 2007. Prior to coming to Tech, she was a research/teaching assistant and resident assistant farm manager with the University of Florida's Department of Poultry Science.

Awards for Thompson include Who's Who Among American Teachers, 2004 and 2005, Texas Tech Teaching Academy, 2004, and North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Teaching Award of Merit, 2003. Other honors are Texas Tech University President's Excellence in Teaching Award, 2003, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Teacher of the Semester, Fall 2002, and National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Teaching Fellow Award, 1999.

Thompson earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture-poultry science and a master's degree in poultry products technology from University of Florida-Gainesville. She received her doctorate degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Florida-Gainesville.

In 2004, the animal and food science department moved into a new state-of-the-art teaching and research facility. The new facility includes four multimedia-classrooms, five specialized teaching and research labs, the largest retail meat cooler on a university campus, and a retail store. The department has more than 20 active faculty members engaged in teaching, research and service across a number of cutting-edge fields, including food science, food safety, muscle biology, nutrition, animal well being, breeding and genetics, physiology and with specialties in cattle, horse, sheep, goats, poultry and swine.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: John Burns, Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or john.burns@ttu.edu

0120NM11