Exciting Changes in Store for 2010
by Kelly Frederick
posted on June 9, 2009
Mark your calendars for the 2010 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo® in Chicago, Ill., July 17–21. It’s exciting to be returning the Windy City—the headquarters of IFT—but we are also looking forward to bringing you some thrilling changes we have in store for the show. Here’s some of what you can look forward to seeing at the 2010 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo.
New Scientific Program Framework
The Annual Meeting Scientific Program Advisory Panel has created a new framework for the Annual Meeting Scientific Program to kick off at the 2010 meeting. This new framework seeks to streamline programming; provide increased opportunities for member involvement; reduce the number of programming “buckets” for easier navigation; reduce the number of sessions to minimize overlap and conflicts; highlight key issues and core sciences; and, in doing so, increase attendee satisfaction. The new framework will be organized around (1) key issues facing the industry and (2) core sciences and transformative research that provide the foundation for all things related to food science.
Key Issue Programming: “Applied science and/or topical information that can be immediately applied at work” will be the primary focus of the key issue programming. Topics within each of the following eight key issues are expected to evolve and could potentially change each year.
• Food Safety
• Food, Health & Nutrition
• Emerging Technologies & Ingredient Innovations
• Food Processing & Packaging
• Product Development
• Sustainability
• Public Policy, Food Laws & Regulations
• Business & Professional Development
The key issue programming will be developed in a similar fashion as previous years, with an open Call for Session Proposals and Call for Abstracts being conducted this fall.
Core Science & Transformative Research Programming: A second aspect to the new framework involves developing and organizing scientific programming around the following core sciences:
• Food Chemistry
• Food Engineering
• Food Microbiology
• Sensory Science
This area of programming is intended to focus on “core, fundamental and/or transformative research.” The core sciences above were chosen because they provide the foundation of the field of food science. The IFT Divisions associated with these core sciences will be primarily responsible for program development and delivery. As is the case with the key issue programming, an open Call for Session Proposals and Call for Abstracts will be held in the fall. The ultimate goal of these sessions is to showcase emerging, cutting-edge research, foster collaborations among researchers, and illustrate areas where the research may be transferred to industry.
Stay tuned to www.ift.org for more on these exciting changes, and we look forward to rolling out the red carpet for you in Chicago in 2010!
Can you get wireless internet access for the next conference? With all the content on the web, it would be really helpful.