Fahey Named U of I's First Kraft Foods Human Nutrition Professor
Published: Sep. 21, 2006
URBANA - George C. Fahey Jr. has been named the University of Illinois's first Kraft Foods Human Nutrition Endowed Professor. The endowed chair is part of a recent $1 million permanent endowment from Kraft Foods North America to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) Division of Nutritional Sciences.
In addition to the endowed chair, the gift establishes two Kraft Foods Human Nutrition Graduate Fellowships and the Kraft Foods Human Nutrition Undergraduate Scholarship Program within the U of I's Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.
"Dr. Fahey is eminently qualified to be the first Kraft Foods Human Nutrition Endowed Professor," said Sharon Donovan, director of the U of I's Division of Nutritional Sciences. "He is an internationally recognized authority on dietary fiber. His colleagues see him as one of the world's leading experts in his research discipline."
He is also a University Scholar, one of the highest honors awarded to U of I faculty.
"Dr. Fahey is one of the College of ACES' most respected teachers, leaders, and researchers," said ACES Dean Robert Easter. "His extraordinary dedication to progress in the nutritional sciences makes him an outstanding nominee for this prestigious endowed professorship."
The goal of Fahey's research program has been to define the role of fiber and other fermentable carbohydrates on gastrointestinal tract physiology and health, Donovan said.
Fahey was a member of the National Academy of Sciences committee that established recommended fiber intakes for the U.S. population. He has also pioneered research on companion animal health and nutrition.
A campus leader, Fahey is a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences, a member of the Division of Nutritional Sciences, and an assistant dean in the Office of Research, in charge of the leadership of the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR) operations. In 2004, he was given the additional assignment of coordinating the South Farms modernization program.
Donovan was enthusiastic about the benefits the Kraft endowment will provide. "This endowment will enable the Division of Nutritional Sciences to recruit and retain the highest quality students and faculty, which will enable us to meet our vision of training the leaders in our discipline far into the future," she said.
Kraft management expects to be equally pleased with the results of their collaboration with the Division of Nutritional Sciences.
"At Kraft Foods, we are very proud of the long-standing relationship we have developed with the U of I. Kraft employs hundreds of University of Illinois graduates, many of whom work in Global Technology and Quality,? said John Ruff, Senior Vice President, Global Quality, Scientific Affairs and Nutrition, at Kraft.
"We constantly seek opportunities to further the scientific underpinnings of our products, and human nutrition is a huge part of that science. We believe the Kraft Foods Human Nutrition Endowment will help to advance that science by opening new areas of human nutrition research and supporting graduate and undergraduate students in human nutrition programs," Ruff added.
-30-