Aug. 30, 2007

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COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Kerri B. Harris has been named the director of the Center for Food Safety at Texas A&M University.

Harris is an associate professor in the department of animal science within Texas A&M's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She also serves as president and CEO of the International Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Alliance, an industry group that standardizes food safety and inspection training and works cooperatively with U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service and other regulatory agencies.

"Dr. Harris is nationally recognized as being well-versed in food safety and policy issues," said Dr. Elsa Murano, vice chancellor of agriculture and life sciences for The Texas A&M University System. "She has clearly demonstrated her ability to manage people, work across many disciplines and successfully conduct outreach and training activities within both the public and private sectors."

Texas A&M's Center for Food Safety is located within the department of animal science, and its purpose is to expand food safety activities across the campus, as well as to enhance external visibility and public knowledge of the university's food safety activities.

With her new role, Harris said her initial goals for the Center are to:

- Focus on identifying and securing funding opportunities to promote food safety research, outreach and training efforts for all involved faculty members.

- Enhance the publicity of current food safety research and accomplishments.

- Coordinate food safety research, outreach and training efforts across Texas A&M Agriculture.

- Develop and maintain relationships with government agencies and other entities that impact food safety.

"Kerri has the background and expertise necessary to provide leadership to ensure the success of the Center for Food Safety," said Dr. Gary R. Acuff, head of the department of animal science.

Harris earned a bachelor's degree in food science and technology and a master's and doctorate in nutrition, all from Texas A&M.

She taught human nutrition courses and served as the director of the Combined Graduate Degree–Dietetic Internship Program at Texas A&M prior to her 1994 appointment with the HACCP Alliance.

Harris helped standardize HACCP training program learning objectives and the accreditation program for training providers. She has published multiple refereed journal articles and other publications, co-authored two book chapters, and presented at multiple national meetings. She has secured significant funding for her work, with more than $3.5 million in contracts and grants over the past decade.

She is responsible for team teaching a HACCP course for graduate and undergraduate students and for coordinating various HACCP and food safety industry training programs. She was recently elected to the American Meat Science Association's Board of Directors, and has received multiple recognitions for her efforts.