Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department of Nutrition

Brown-Rudder Award Winner

Kallie Fuchs-Chris Skaggs Brown Rudder 2016Texas A&M University has presented one of its top student awards — recognizing outstanding accomplishments in academics, leadership and service by Kallie Fuchs of Burton, a Nutrition Science Major who graduated on Friday, May 13th.  Kallie received the prestigious Brown-Rudder Award presented annually to two candidates recognized for their exemplification of the leadership and dedication to academics and Texas A&M University.

The award was approved by President Michael K. Young and presented at the Learning communities, Academic excellence, Undergraduate research opportunities, National fellowships, Capstones and Honors programs (LAUNCH) recognition ceremony that serves as a climax for the regular school year this past Thursday, May 12.

Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award includes a cash gift of $5,000. The award honors top students who exemplify the leadership and related traits of the late Gen. Earl Rudder, a World War II hero who served as president of Texas A&M from 1959 until his death in 1970.

Fuchs graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional sciences and a minor in applied learning in science, technology, engineer and mathematics. She is described as an “academic powerhouse” and a dedicated leader. One of her nomination letter writers describes her as fitting John Quincy Adams’ description of a leader as one who inspires “others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more.” Another letter states that she “represents leadership, embodies integrity, walks the walk of respect and is loyal.”

It was noted that Fuchs demonstrated her fortitude, courage and integrity as the election commissioner for Student Government, her dedication to Aggie values as the founder of Farmers Fight, the Agricultural Advocacy organization, and her commitment to selfless service through her work with the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program.

Kallie Fuchs- Brown Rudder 2016

Her embodiment of involvement and impact throughout the Aggie community resulted in her being honored by a Buck Weirus Spirit award in 2015. Her academic record reveals remarkable accomplishments in challenging coursework and undergraduate research which led to her earning the 2014 Texas A&M Gathright Scholar award and 2014 Class of 2016 Class Star Award for Academics.

Kallie finished her degree with a perfect 4.000 grade point ratio, scored in the 87% on the MCAT, and begins Baylor Medical School in Fall 2016.

First Place at South Central Regional IFT College Bowl

2016collegebowlCongratulations to our College Bowl team on winning first place in the South Central Region competition on April, 8 2016. Their next competition will be at nationals, in Chicago!

Since 1985, the IFTSA College Bowl Competition has tested the knowledge of student teams from across the United States in the areas of food science and technology, history of foods and food processing, food law, and general IFT/food-related trivia.

The College Bowl is designed to facilitate interaction among students from different universities, stimulate the students’ desire to accumulate and retain knowledge, and provide a forum for students to engage in friendly competition.  Teams for IFT Student Chapters in eight geographical areas of the Student Association compete in area competitions prior to the IFT Annual Meeting. The winning teams from the eight areas then compete in a final competition at the Annual Meeting.

2015 Texas A&M AgriLife Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence

Established in 1980, this awards program recognizes the commitment and outstanding contributions of faculty and staff across Texas A&M AgriLife.

Three Nutrition and Food Science professionals were recognized on January 14, 2016 with a 2015 Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence and AgriLife Faculty Fellow.

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Graduate Student Teaching-Ms. Rachel M. Botchlett

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Since Ms. Botchlett began her Ph.D. in Nutrition in Fall 2011, she has contributed significantly to the excellence in teaching in her department. Her first teaching experience at Texas A&M was in Nutrition 202, which has been known to overload teaching assistants. Her excellence in teaching and time management earned her the opportunity to lecture in front of large groups. And when the department critically needed instructors for undergraduate courses in Spring 2015, Ms. Botchlett was the only graduate student to serve as an instructor. Students’ evaluations reflect that Ms. Botchlett did an excellent job in helping them critically evaluate scientific papers and effectively present nutrition knowledge.

 

Research-Dr. Robert S. Chapkin

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Dr. Chapkin is a leader in chronic disease prevention and cancer research and is among the few scientists whose discoveries are related to diet as a treatment or prevention for cancer. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health for the past 27 years. His work has been cited over 10,000 times, with more than 4,400 since 2010, resulting in a Google Scholar H-index of 56.

 

Texas A&M AgriLife Research 2015 Faculty Fellow- Dr. Chaodong Wu

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Dr. Wu’s research on obesity-associated metabolic diseases and the connection between inflammation and metabolism in obesity has elevated Texas A&M University’s reputation in nutrition and obesity research. His groundbreaking  finding on “healthy obesity” showed the importance of targeting inflammation, not fat deposition, for preventing diseases. In the past five years, he has received funding of over 3.6 million, including two highly competitive National Institutes of Health grants, and authored over 20 refereed articles.

 

National Cancer Institute’s Outstanding Investigator Award

Congratulations Dr. Chapkin on receiving the National Cancer Institute’s Outstanding Investigator Award (R35) in cancer research. This very prestigious award is given to “an exceptional and long-established cancer researcher who has been continuously funded by the NIH.” This support is intended to encourage investigators to embark on long-term projects of unusual potential. The award will fund Dr. Chapkin’s cancer research program for 7 years for a total of $6.2 million.

2015 Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Excellence

For more than 100 years, Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has maintained a strong tradition of leadership across agriculture, natural resources and life sciences, establishing our college as one of the leading organizations of its kind in the state, nation and world. This distinguished status would not be possible without the dedication of our faculty, staff and students to promote the land-grant mission by feeding our world, protecting our environment, improving our health, and enriching our youth. The Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards, established in 2012, recognize, reward and encourage excellence in the work of faculty, staff and students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Karen Beathard received the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Service on Wednesday, September 16, 2015.

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This award recognizes and encourages excellence in service or other outreach related activities by faculty or staff. Successful nominees will exhibit outstanding personal engagement in outreach and engagement with the community, university, professional organizations, student organizations or other groups. The award supports Texas A&M’s Vision 2020 plan, “This landmark legislation [the Morrill Act] recognized that education could and should lead to the improvement of the human condition. It also resulted in recognition that learning should be for the many rather than the few. This strong notion of service still prospers at Texas A&M University.”

Study shows dried plums aid in colon cancer prevention

Dried plums — the fruit formerly known as prunes — aren’t just your grandmother’s go-to snack anymore.

As Texas A&M University professor Nancy Turner explained, there may be some good news for fans of the fruit. Turner was among a team of researchers who found in a recent study that the inclusion of dried plums in a balanced diet helped prevent colon cancer.

The positive effect, Turner said, is being attributed to the plum’s ability to promote the health of microbiota in the colon. Although the study was conducted on rats, Turner explained that this particular research model has done a “good job of replicating a lot of the changes that occur in the human intestine as colon cancer develops.”

For those wondering how long prunes have been called dried plums, it has actually been longer than most might think.

Don Zea, executive director of the California Dried Plum Board said in 2001 prunes were officially renamed dried plums with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as an attempt to give the fruit a broader appeal to consumers. Zea said prunes had become so connected with digestive health, it was “too successful.”

“I think all of us have that image from when we were a kid, we were usually given either the prune juice or the dried prunes because we weren’t feeling well,” Turner said. “It was almost like a punishment.”

While she acknowledged that many have a negative perception of the dried fruit’s taste, Turner said that, in her experience, adults and older children who give them another chance generally end up surprised at “how good they actually are.”

“It’s just a dried fruit, just like a dried apricot or banana,” Turner said. “If you think of it from that perspective and just give it a chance, there is probably a good likelihood that you would find that you actually enjoy the flavor of the dried plums.”

The name change, Zea added, also had the added benefit that dried plums “describe more literally what it actually is” than the name prunes.

The actual benefits delivered by the dried fruit are a combination of few factors, Turner said. She explained that while the dietary fiber of the plums is a vital factor in maintaining good digestive health, it is a combination of the fiber and other compounds inherent in the fruit that work in tandem to provide the benefits.

“We constantly tell people that they need to eat more dietary fiber, but it isn’t just the math of dietary fiber that you’re getting,” Turner said. “It’s about the things that come along with the dietary fiber in the food that you’re eating.”

Turner said that it is these additional compounds and dietary fibers — found in many fruits, vegetables and whole grains — that “seem to be better at providing a beneficial microbial population and ability to suppress the disease.”

The research was conducted in partnership between Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina, with funding from the California Dried Plum Board.

Writer: STEVE KUHLMANN steve.kuhlmann@theeagle.com

via http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/study-shows-dried-plums-aid-in-colon-cancer-prevention/article_087b7131-fd15-5b36-97d9-2e3994c0cb37.html

Student Research Week-Shannon Swickard

“One of my favorite parts about participating in research is knowing that the work we are doing may truly impact and benefit people's lives someday.” – Shannon Swickard

“One of my favorite parts about participating in research is knowing that the work we are doing may truly impact and benefit people’s lives someday.” – Shannon Swickard

Shannon Swickard is a pre-medical, senior nutritional science major, graduating this May. She has completed two years of student research in Dr. Turner’s lab. Dr. Turner’s research focuses on the chemoprotective ability of certain foods against colonic diseases. My specific research project involves the protective and preventive qualities of plum against colon cancer. Being involved in research has really improved her understanding of science, hard work, and time that goes into research. This year at Student Research Week Shannon was awarded first place in the life science category as well as the Sigma Xi award. She enjoyed meeting other student researchers and discussing how they are all making an impact.

May 2015 Graduation

Congratulations to all of the Nutrition and Food Science students who graduated today! We wish you the best.


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