Myron Solberg
Encyclopedia
Myron "Mike" Solberg was an American
food scientist
who was renowned for his collaboration with academia
, government
, and industry
that better advanced food technology
.
, Solberg earned his B.S. degree at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
in 1952. He then went on to earn his Ph.D.
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1960.
After earning his Ph.D, Solberg went to work in the meat industry before joining Rutgers University
in 1964.
department at Rutgers University in 1964, Solberg worked in meat science and food microbiology
. In 1984, he created the Center for Advanced Food Technology (CAFT), a cooperative research venture among academia, government, and industry in food science and technology. He would chair the CAFT until his 2000 retirement. This was also part of his work with the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
(CSREES) for which he would be honored by them in 1997.
Reserves, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
before he retired in 1991.
in honor of individuals who lead in establishing, successfully developing, and continuing a cooperative relationship among academia, government, and industry in food technology.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
food scientist
Food science
Food science is a study concerned with all technical aspects of foods, beginning with harvesting or slaughtering, and ending with its cooking and consumption, an ideology commonly referred to as "from field to fork"...
who was renowned for his collaboration with academia
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
, government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
, and industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
that better advanced food technology
Food technology
Food technology, is a branch of food science which deals with the actual production processes to make foods.-Early history of food technology:...
.
Education
A native of MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Solberg earned his B.S. degree at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
in 1952. He then went on to earn his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1960.
After earning his Ph.D, Solberg went to work in the meat industry before joining Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1964.
Research career
Joining the food scienceFood science
Food science is a study concerned with all technical aspects of foods, beginning with harvesting or slaughtering, and ending with its cooking and consumption, an ideology commonly referred to as "from field to fork"...
department at Rutgers University in 1964, Solberg worked in meat science and food microbiology
Food microbiology
Food microbiology is the study of the microorganisms that inhabit, create, or contaminate food. Of major importance is the study of microorganisms causing food spoilage. "Good" bacteria, however, such as probiotics, are becoming increasingly important in food science...
. In 1984, he created the Center for Advanced Food Technology (CAFT), a cooperative research venture among academia, government, and industry in food science and technology. He would chair the CAFT until his 2000 retirement. This was also part of his work with the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
(USDA) Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service is an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture , part of the executive branch of the federal government. The 1994 Department Reorganization Act, passed by Congress, created CSREES by combining the former Cooperative State...
(CSREES) for which he would be honored by them in 1997.
Memberships
- American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAmerican Association for the Advancement of ScienceThe American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
- Fellow. - American Chemical SocietyAmerican Chemical SocietyThe American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
- Fellow. - American Council on Science and HealthAmerican Council on Science and HealthThe American Council on Science and Health is a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 by Dr. Elizabeth Whelan that produces peer-reviewed reports on issues related to food, nutrition, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, the environment and health...
- American Meat Science AssociationAmerican Meat Science AssociationThe American Meat Science Association is a non-profit professional organization for the advancement of meat science and technology. Founded in 1948 and formerly incorporated in 1964, AMSA is headquartered in Savoy, Illinois, located near the Urbana-Champaign, Illinois area...
- American Society for MicrobiologyAmerican Society for MicrobiologyThe American Society for Microbiology is a professional organization for scientists who study viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa as well as other aspects of microbiology. Microbiology is the study of organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye and which must be viewed with a...
- American Society for QualityAmerican Society for QualityAmerican Society for Quality , formerly known as American Society for Quality Control , is a knowledge-based global community of quality control experts, with nearly 85,000 members dedicated to the promotion and advancement of quality tools, principles, and practices in their workplaces and in...
- Institute of Food TechnologistsInstitute of Food TechnologistsThe Institute of Food Technologists or IFT is an international, non-profit professional organization for the advancement of food science and technology. It is the largest of food science organizations in the world, encompassing 22,000 members worldwide as of 2006. It is referred to as "THE Society...
(IFT) - (Fellow: 1979, Nicholas Appert AwardNicholas Appert AwardThe Nicholas Appert Award has been awarded every year since 1942 by the Chicago Section of the Institute of Food Technologists. Given for lifetime and consistent achievement in food technology, it is named after Nicolas Appert, the French inventor of airtight food preservation. Award winners...
: 1990, Nominee for President: 1993, Carl R. Fellers AwardCarl R. Fellers AwardThe Carl R. Fellers Award has been awarded every year since 1984. It is awarded to members of the Institute of Food Technologists who are also members of Phi Tau Sigma, the honorary society of food science and technology, who have brought honor and recognition to food science through achievements...
: 2001) - New Jersey Academy of ScienceNew Jersey Academy of ScienceThe New Jersey Academy of Science is a society consisting of 400 professional scientists in academia, government, and industry. This also includes college students who are pursuing both graduate and undergraduate degrees in the senior academy, and high school students in the junior academy.Founded...
- New York Academy of SciencesNew York Academy of SciencesThe New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology...
Military service
Solberg also served in the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Reserves, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
before he retired in 1991.
Death and legacy
Solberg died of cancer on July 28, 2001. In 2004, IFT created the Myron Solberg AwardMyron Solberg Award
The Myron Solberg Award has been awarded every year since 2004 by the Institute of Food Technologists . It is awarded for leadership in establishing, successfully developing, and continuing a cooperative organization involving academia, government, and industry...
in honor of individuals who lead in establishing, successfully developing, and continuing a cooperative relationship among academia, government, and industry in food technology.