Penn State Students Reserve National Champions in Meat Science Quiz Bowl Competed at Reciprocal Meat Conference in Arkansas
Posted: Jul 08, 2009
Penn State's DAS team placed second in the American Meat Science's Intercollegiate Quiz Bowl held as part of the Reciprocal Meat Conference in Arkansas.
Front, from left: Jami Willard, Allison Bardella, Mairen Fitzpatrick. Back, from left: Ryan Fairbairn, Dustin Brown, Kristina McAllister, Amy Shollenberger.
A student team representing Penn State's Department of Dairy and Animal Science was named the Reserve National Champion team at the American Meat Science Association's (AMSA) Intercollegiate Quiz Bowl. It was the first time a Penn State team participated in this competition, held this year at the Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) in Rogers, Arkansas in June.
Members of the reserve national champion team were Dustin Brown, Tyrone, PA; Kristina McAllister, Petersburg, PA; and Amy Shollenberger, Harleysville, PA. Other team members were Allison Bardella, Jamestown, PA; Marien Fitzpatrick, West Granby, CT; Ryan Fairbairn, Coatesville, PA; and Jami Willard, Hershey, PA. Teams consisted of three undergraduate students from each of the 24 universities which participated.
Dr. Terry Etherton, Head of the Department of Dairy and Animal Science, said, "This is another outstanding accomplishment for our students. I congratulate all the team members for this exceptional showing in a competition which demands very complete knowledge of meat and meat science. It is truly an honor to compete so effectively among their peers, and it is a tribute to their dedication and the dedication of our faculty in preparing them so well."
Questions in the Quiz Bowl ranged from the principles of meat science to food safety to grading and processing to marketing and the role of meat in the diet.
Dr. Christopher Raines, assistant professor of meat science and technology, coached the team with assistance from Amanda Gipe, a graduate student. Raines said, "The quiz bowl is very demanding with teams responding to forty primary questions. Their knowledge base must be extremely broadbased with a thorough understanding of the meat industry."
The RMC is a gathering of meat science professionals from around the country, and offers a chance for students to interact with their peers from other universities as well as network with potential employers. A career fair brings together representatives from industry. The conference features presentations from outstanding leaders in the industry including topics on sustainability and consumer topics, abstracts of specific research projects, and industry tours.
Raines noted, "It is a program rich in opportunity for sharing knowledge and gaining insight into the total spectrum of the meat science industry."
The 2009 RMC was hosted by the University of Arkansas and Tyson Foods.