Page 7 - Impact Fall 2023

From plate to policy: An alumni’s journey from chef to applied economist
For former chef Alex Chase, BS ’21 agricultural and food business management and MS ’23 applied economics,
CFANS was a natural fit to leverage his experience in the food industry into a new career path focused on food security.
After completing a bachelor’s degree Chase debated what step to take next. “I considered going into the
food sciences because of my hands-on background
as a chef, but I didn’t think that would get me closer to working on global challenges,” he said. “Effective policies are what’s needed to make real progress on food security.”
Chase worked in the food industry for nearly 20 years. “After high school, I attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York and did an internship at a 3-star Michelin restaurant,” he said. “I worked as a line cook and chef at various James Beard winning restaurants in Minnesota for several years before moving to Alaska to work as executive chef at a high-end fly fishing lodge.”
After taking some generals at technical college in between Alaska fishing seasons, Chase transferred into CFANS. “The program was a strategic pivot from my culinary background into the broader food industry,”
he said.
At CFANS, Chase conducted research on the economic feasibility for dairy farmers to achieve net
zero emissions by 2050. “I looked at the large food processors’ sustainability policies and goals to assess where the burden will actually fall for getting to net zero pledges. Most of the burden to meet those goals will be at the farm since three quarters of the emissions in the dairy supply chain are at the field-to-farm gate and as little as three percent of the emissions come directly from the dairy processor,” he said.
Chase would like to bring a policy voice to the table of large corporations that may not be as familiar with the food industry even though they may drastically impact it. “I’d like to help formulate policy and steer companies to make better choices in regards to sustainability goals that consider long-term negative downstream effects and help maintain profitability at the farm level,” he said.
Annual giving adds up
“It is my turn to help current grad students.” This simple statement from CFANS alumna Katherine Swanson
(MS ’77 and PhD ’83, both in food science) captures
the heartfelt reason she has generously supported the Department of Food Science and Nutrition since she gave her first gift in 1984.
As of today, she has given annually for an astounding 27 consecutive years— which adds up to more than $15,000.
“Scholarships
and assistantships
enabled me to
complete my masters
and PhD without
loans,” said Swanson.
“The department significantly shaped my professional life, resulting in a fulfilling food safety management career.”
Swanson fondly recalls her major professor,
Frank Busta, PhD, who provided opportunities to expand her food safety network by presenting at scientific meetings, editing book chapters, and publishing peer reviewed papers. “The department’s exceptional faculty attracted remarkable students globally,” she added. “Thus we savored authentic Moroccan and other regional dishes on occasion. Our global food supply benefits from understanding different cultures that present a variety of food safety and stability concerns addressed through culinary practices in different regions of the world.”
A particular fund Swanson supports is the McKay Food Microbiology Graduate Student Travel Award Fund. “Conferences can identify different research approaches to solve challenges through discussions with other participants—and establishing contacts in industry, government, and academia can provide insights into potential career paths,” she said.
Swanson’s hope is that today’s students will participate in collaborative efforts to address food availability issues. “Climate change and adventurous eating patterns present food safety and availability challenges globally,” she said. “Today’s students can make a difference!”
 Want to make a recurring gift to CFANS? Scan this code or visit give.umn.edu/cfans.