George J. Flick Jr. honored with emeritus status
George J. Flick Jr., University Distinguished Professor of Food Science and Technology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the “University Distinguished Professor Emeritus” title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus is conferred on retired full professors and associate professors, administrative officers, extra-collegiate faculty with continued appointment, and senior extension agents who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1969, Flick has made significant contributions to the understanding of food science and technology through his work in seafood technology, aquaculture, and risk management. His cooperative work with researchers at the College of William and Mary laid the groundwork that led to Virginia Tech being named a Sea Grant College. Flick established the Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Hampton, Va., as well as the Aquaculture Extension facility in Saltville, Va. He also established the world’s first graduate curriculum (Master of Science Degree and Graduate Certificate) in Health Product Risk Management, which will be graduating its first class in 2012.
He has published more than 150 journal articles, 52 book chapters, and five books, and he has served the scientific community by planning, conducting, and publishing research funded by more than $20 million in external grants and contracts.
Flick has held leadership positions in 26 professional societies, and was named Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and by the Institute of Food Technologists. He has been a visiting professor at the United States Department of Agriculture Southern Regional Research Center, the National University of Mexico, and in the Department of Marine Biochemistry at Tokyo University.
Flick has facilitated collaborations between academic researchers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). His efforts have been recognized with the the USDA Secretary’s Honor Award, the USDA Secretary’s Group Honor Award, the USDA Certificate of Appreciation for National Leadership in Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Alliance, and the Vice President Al Gore National Performance Review Hammer Award.
Flick has received many professional honors and awards, including the Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT) Myron Solberg Award for Excellence in Government Collaboration, IFTs Elizabeth Fleming Stier Award for pursuit of humanitarian ideals and unselfish dedication,the Department of the Army’s Certificate of Appreciation, the Gamma Sigma Delta Extension Award of Merit, the Atlantic Fisheries Technology Society’s Earl P. McFee Award, the Pi Kappa Phi Lifetime Service and Achievement Award, and the Virginia Tech Alumni Award for Extension Excellence
He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees from Louisiana State University.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
