March 2, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Teresa Hendrix
(805) 756-7266
Tong Is ‘New’ Director of Cal Poly Dairy Products Technology Center
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly Dean of Agriculture Dave Wehner
announced
that Professor Phil Tong will once again serve as director of the
Dairy
Products Technology Center.
Tong helped create the DPTC in the 1980s and previously served
as its
director from 1989 to 1997.
“Dr. Tong was instrumental in establishing this center when
he first
joined the Dairy Science faculty in 1986, and I am happy that he
has
accepted the challenge to lead this center once again,” said
Wehner in
making the appointment.
Interim Dairy Science Department Head and Professor Wally Mark
applauded
Tong’s return as director of the DPTC. “Phil has the
experience and
commitment to advance DPTC programs to realize the center’s
full benefit
for our students, the entire university and the dairy industry.
I’m
really looking forward to continuing to work together with him as
the
center grows.”
Tong teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in dairy science
and organizes a full series of annual short courses and symposia
for
industry. He will continue those tasks along with taking charge
of the
center.
“I am excited and grateful to Dean Wehner and Professor Mark
for the
opportunity to once again lead the talented group of dedicated
professionals at the DPTC,” Tong said of his appointment.
“I’m really
looking forward to creating more new, mutually beneficial opportunities
for students, staff and industry through our DPTC programs,”
he added.
Since arriving at Cal Poly 18 years ago, Tong has secured over
$7.5
million in private funding to support his staff, students and programs.
In addition to maintaining an active program of research in dairy
foods,
he established one of only two “Dairy Ingredients Applications
Programs”
in the nation in 1998 to meet the growing need in the food industry
for
technical support in handling dairy ingredients.
Cal Poly and the University of Wisconsin remain the only universities
in
the nation offering dairy ingredient technical support for the dairy
and
food processing industries.
Tong was recently appointed to serve as the US representative on
the
Standing Committee on Dairy Science and Technology of the International
Dairy Federation, which involves 50 countries.
About the Dairy Products Technology Center
The Dairy Products Technology Center (DPTC), established in 1986,
is a
program within the College of Agriculture at Cal Poly. The DPTC
conducts
education, research, and outreach activities to provide solutions
to
help manage risk, facilitate innovation, and defend equity in the
dairy
foods industry and related business sectors. For further information
visit the DPTC website at www.calpoly.edu/~dptc
.
About The College of Agriculture
The College of Agriculture at California Polytechnic State University,
San Luis Obispo, is the fourth-largest undergraduate agriculture
program
in the nation. For more details about Cal Poly College of Ag, visit
its
Web site at: www.calpolyag.com.
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