North Carolina State University graduate student Ellen Thomas writes,

Like a bad 90s sitcom, “Milwaukee or bust” should have been emblazoned on matching shirts as fellow grad student, Allison, and I attempted to get to the state where 2.6 billion pounds of cheese are produced each year. It also happened to be the location of our first International Association of Food Protection meeting. Our connecting flight to Milwaukee was cancelled, and so we ended up visiting four airports in 12 hours before we finally arrived to catch the last few minutes of the welcome reception.

Luckily, this less than ideal traveling itinerary was just a rough start to a really great week.

The first sessions I attended were some of the professional development group (PDG) meetings.  Usually when I’m in a situation that combines students with established professionals an awkward disconnect pops up. I didn’t feel that way at the PDGs – not only were students welcomed, but encouraged to become active in these groups. I was passed a sign-up sheet almost immediately, and in many of the meetings, the topic of how to increase student involvement was a common discussion point.

I attended a very compelling symposia, a late-breaking session that focused on the recent sprouts-linked E. coli O104 outbreak in Europe.  With over 4,300 illnesses, including over 55 deaths, this outbreak provides a humbling lesson about microbes and a strong reminder to cut through politics, money and trade – food safety is about avoiding tragedies. This seminar was especially effective because various speakers discussed all aspects of the outbreak- from the unique pathogenicity to the crisis communication mistakes that occurred.

One of my favorite parts of IAFP was meeting students from other universities, as well as seeing the close bond that students still have with their former masters or PhD advisor, sometimes years after their collaboration. Not only is it good to be aware of what others in the field are researching, but open communication and the opportunity for further collaboration is invaluable in making progress toward the goals of IAFP. Additionally, the student mixer was a great time; I also attended a Brewers game and explored downtown Milwaukee.

Adding to the excitement of the week was seeing Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus, one of my committee members at NC State, serve as IAFP president; this, combined with the announcement by Sec. of Agriculture Tom Vilsack of a $25 million USDA grant focused on norovirus, being awarded to Dr. Jaykus and her team made this week pretty cool as well.

I came home to Pennsylvania for a bit before class begins- exhausted, and I think I may remove cheese from the menu for a while.