An ISU professor has been named president of the International Association for Food Protection, a nonprofit educational association of food safety professionals.

James Dickson, associate professor and chairman of microbiology, was elected by the members of the International Association for Food Protection and will hold the position for a year.

Dickson said there are 3,200 members spanning 50 countries around the world.

Brian Meyer, communications specialist for agriculture information services, said the association is dedicated to the education and service of its members and industry personnel. Through the association, he said, members are able to keep informed of the latest scientific, technical and practical developments in food safety and sanitation.

“We try to understand the entire production system,” Dickson said.

“How do food-borne pathogens get in and how do we eliminate the production, where are they coming from, and how do we get rid of them?”

Dickson conducts research on the microbiological safety of foods, including the growth and physiological activity of bacteria of public health concerns and on the development of computer models to estimate bacterial growth.

“What we do is practical,” he said. “We try to keep people from getting sick.”

Meyer directs Iowa State’s efforts in the Food Safety Consortium, a three-state research program to improve meat safety.

“[International Association for Food Protection] is dedicated to the education and service of its members and industry personnel,” he said.

When Dickson worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, he did all his research in lab.

He said it was fun – but limiting.

Once he interviewed for the job at Iowa State, Dickson said the town and the people made the nice-sized university attractive.

“I missed interacting with students,” he said.