xvi
Authors
in the capable hands of research associates, James Woodrow and Michael
McChesney). On top of that, he had also just undertaken a position as Editor
of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, but Loreen Kleinschmidt, his
Editorial Assistant, could handle that.
He was met by Pat Jordan and the SRRC Location Administrative Offcer
(LAO), and they toured the SRRC and neighboring areas to assess the damage. The Katrina foodwaters from the “surge” had receded, but the damage
was everywhere, particularly at the ground level and frst foor. Mold was a
major concern, and removal of sheetrock was underway.
“Why did I go? Sense of duty mainly. As a member of the Senior Executive
Service of the U.S., I was obligated to take assignments when requested. But I
also looked forward to the experience, the opportunity to help and to live in
NOLA and Cajun country.”
His main job was to support the Research Leaders (RLs), make sure the
SRRC could be safely reoccupied and research could continue, and to put
a “good face” on matters. SRRC had research units in mycotoxins, nutrition, Formosan termite control, cotton and wool improvement, and a new
one being formed on biofuels (specifcally, studying the conversion of sugarcane and cane wastes to bioethanol). While at SRRC, JNS traveled to Houma,
LA and met with Ed Richard and visited bioconversion facilities in that
area, including pilot plants for bioenergy production, as well as campuses
at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge and University of New
Orleans (UNO) in NOLA. JNS also communicated and met with key national
program leaders like Joe Spence, Antoinette Betschart, Wilda Martinez,
Frank Flora, Jim Lindsay, and others, and with Midsouth and Oxford, MS
USDA scientists. “I was amazed at the optimism everywhere, except the
lower Ninth Ward, which was near despair.”
During the Spring 2006 ACS meeting held in NOLA, JNS worked with Pat
Jordan and ACS staff to host a media tour of fooded areas so they could see
the progress being made post-Katrina. “It was a busy time!”
After the collateral assignment at SRRC ended, JNS was asked to take
another assignment as Acting Director of the Western Human Nutrition
Research Center (WHNRC) at Davis. The WHNRC was relocating to Davis
from the Presidio in San Francisco, so much of his time was spent working
with Dean Charles Hess and UC, Davis department chairs on arranging space
for WHNRC scientists in UC, Davis buildings. “Very challenging!” Eventually
the new WHNRC building was completed and Dr. Lindsay Allen, WHNRC
Director and ARS scientist, moved in. “It was a very successful transition.”
After the collateral assignment with WHNRC, JNS was asked by Chancellor
Larry Van der Hoef to serve as Acting Chair of UC, Davis department of
Food Science and Technology (FST). FST was relocating from Cruess Hall to
the new Robert Mondavi Institute (RMI) facilities on campus. “It was a very
tough assignment, particularly arranging the move of the FST Pilot Food
Processing Plant from Cruess Hall to RMI which I enjoyed, but was happy to
relinquish when it ended after 3 years.”
Authors
in the capable hands of research associates, James Woodrow and Michael
McChesney). On top of that, he had also just undertaken a position as Editor
of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, but Loreen Kleinschmidt, his
Editorial Assistant, could handle that.
He was met by Pat Jordan and the SRRC Location Administrative Offcer
(LAO), and they toured the SRRC and neighboring areas to assess the damage. The Katrina foodwaters from the “surge” had receded, but the damage
was everywhere, particularly at the ground level and frst foor. Mold was a
major concern, and removal of sheetrock was underway.
“Why did I go? Sense of duty mainly. As a member of the Senior Executive
Service of the U.S., I was obligated to take assignments when requested. But I
also looked forward to the experience, the opportunity to help and to live in
NOLA and Cajun country.”
His main job was to support the Research Leaders (RLs), make sure the
SRRC could be safely reoccupied and research could continue, and to put
a “good face” on matters. SRRC had research units in mycotoxins, nutrition, Formosan termite control, cotton and wool improvement, and a new
one being formed on biofuels (specifcally, studying the conversion of sugarcane and cane wastes to bioethanol). While at SRRC, JNS traveled to Houma,
LA and met with Ed Richard and visited bioconversion facilities in that
area, including pilot plants for bioenergy production, as well as campuses
at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge and University of New
Orleans (UNO) in NOLA. JNS also communicated and met with key national
program leaders like Joe Spence, Antoinette Betschart, Wilda Martinez,
Frank Flora, Jim Lindsay, and others, and with Midsouth and Oxford, MS
USDA scientists. “I was amazed at the optimism everywhere, except the
lower Ninth Ward, which was near despair.”
During the Spring 2006 ACS meeting held in NOLA, JNS worked with Pat
Jordan and ACS staff to host a media tour of fooded areas so they could see
the progress being made post-Katrina. “It was a busy time!”
After the collateral assignment at SRRC ended, JNS was asked to take
another assignment as Acting Director of the Western Human Nutrition
Research Center (WHNRC) at Davis. The WHNRC was relocating to Davis
from the Presidio in San Francisco, so much of his time was spent working
with Dean Charles Hess and UC, Davis department chairs on arranging space
for WHNRC scientists in UC, Davis buildings. “Very challenging!” Eventually
the new WHNRC building was completed and Dr. Lindsay Allen, WHNRC
Director and ARS scientist, moved in. “It was a very successful transition.”
After the collateral assignment with WHNRC, JNS was asked by Chancellor
Larry Van der Hoef to serve as Acting Chair of UC, Davis department of
Food Science and Technology (FST). FST was relocating from Cruess Hall to
the new Robert Mondavi Institute (RMI) facilities on campus. “It was a very
tough assignment, particularly arranging the move of the FST Pilot Food
Processing Plant from Cruess Hall to RMI which I enjoyed, but was happy to
relinquish when it ended after 3 years.”