Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

INSIDE IOWA STATE
November 30, 2001

Woteki to begin in Ag dean post in January

by Steve Sullivan
Catherine O'Connor Woteki, senior research scientist with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland, College Park, and former under secretary in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was named dean of the College of Agriculture Nov. 20. She will begin her post at Iowa State in January.

Woteki also holds appointments in nutrition and food safety at the University of Nebraska and at the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, University of Maryland.

Her research interests are in food safety and nutrition policy, chronic disease prevention and population health surveillance.

"The College of Agriculture at Iowa State has so much to contribute to Iowa and the nation," Woteki said. "I'm really looking forward to this opportunity to work with our students and faculty and to provide Iowa farmers with the research and support that is so important to their success."

President Gregory Geoffroy said he is delighted with Woteki's appointment.

"Her background in education and government service, and her broad leadership experience within the USDA, will be invaluable assets for the College of Agriculture and the university as a whole," he said. "She also has a national reputation in food safety, an important and growing area of emphasis at Iowa State."

A nutritional epidemiologist, Woteki served from 1997 through last January as the first under secretary for food safety in the USDA. In that capacity, she was responsible for developing U.S. food safety policies through the President's Council on Food Safety and the Codex Alimentarius Commission. She also was responsible for the national safety of meat, poultry and egg products under the regulatory authority of the Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Woteki served as deputy undersecretary for research, education and economics at the USDA (1996-97), where she led strategic planning activities. She was deputy associate director for science in the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy (1994-96).

Woteki also served as director of the food and nutrition board of the National Academy of Sciences/Institute of Medicine, and in other positions with federal offices.

She received the B.S. (1969) in biology and chemistry from Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Va.; and M.S. (1971) and Ph.D. (1974) in human nutrition from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Woteki will succeed Richard Ross, who has been serving a two-year appointment since July 2000. David Topel, who was Agriculture dean for more than a decade, stepped down from the position in early 2000.

"This was a very important search for Iowa State University and the state of Iowa," said provost Rollin Richmond. He expressed appreciation to vice provost for extension Stan Johnson, who led the search, and to Ross for his interim leadership of the college.