Source:
Steven Otwell WSOtwell@ifas.ufl.edu, 352-392-4221 ext. 304
GAINESVILLE, Fla.—Steve Otwell, a professor of seafood technology with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, received the Myron Solberg Award for excellence and leadership at the annual meeting of Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) in Las Vegas July 13.
Otwell, who serves as seafood technology specialist for the Florida Sea Grant program, is national director of the Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP, pronounced HASS-ip) Alliance to help seafood processors and inspectors comply with federal food safety regulations. He is the first recipient of an award from the Myron Solberg Endowment Fund, established in honor of a former IFT member.
The award, which includes a $3,000 honorarium and plaque, recognizes “world-class excellence in food science and leadership abilities leading to the successful development and continuation of a cooperative organization involving industry, government and academia.”
Since 1996, Otwell’s program has trained more than 250 instructors who are qualified to educate others on HACCP seafood safety measures. As a result of these efforts, more than 850 training courses have been conducted, reaching more than 25,000 individuals across the nation who are involved in seafood production or regulation.
In 1997, he received Vice President Gore’s National Performance Review Award for leadership of the nationwide seafood safety training program.
Otwell, who joined the faculty in the UF food science and human nutrition department in 1978, received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Military Institute, his master’s degree in marine science from the University of Virginia and his doctoral degree in food science from North Carolina State University.
Founded in 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists is a nonprofit scientific society with 28,000 members working in food science, food technology and related professions in industry, academia and government.
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