Adding Value: Michael Joseph Brings New Expertise to PDPS

The Prestage Department of Poultry Science (PDPS) recently welcomed Michael Joseph to the faculty as an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. What did he bring with him? A lot, including: extrusion and value-added expertise, a commitment to the environment and an interdisciplinary spirit.

We asked Joseph a few questions to introduce him as he gets settled.

1. What’s your favorite thing about NC (so far)?

The big trees around everywhere.

2. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about NC State?

The origin of the nickname ‘Wolfpack.’ A complaint in the school paper in 1921 about the football players being “unruly as a pack of wolves” started the term and now it’s always Go Pack!

3. Tell us about your position and focus.

My position as Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in PDPS is focused more on Extension. The aim is to work with the feed and food industry to find solutions using extrusion processing that can add value to the agricultural and animal by-products originating from respective farms and industries.

The solutions could be developing new formulations and products using the by-products, or using extrusion processing as a part-step in the further processing of by-products.

[T]his work has a lot of interdisciplinary components.

My immediate focus is to set up the extrusion facility and while that happens, meet with the industry and farmers to understand their needs and concerns regarding by-product utilization.

This position would provide opportunities to create sustainable solutions using clean technology of extrusion.

In addition to Extension activities, I would be engaging in research and teaching. The focus of research would also primarily be in the area of value-addition of by-products of plant and animal origin.

I would also teach a course on ‘Extrusion Technology’ in Fall 2019 wherein the application of extrusion technology in the areas of feed and food would be taught. This course would be of value to both undergraduate and graduate students.

4. What’s the most important thing for people to understand about what you do?

The most important thing for people to know about my activities is that this work has a lot of interdisciplinary components spread over the departments of food science, animal science and the vet school.

It would be a platform to collaborate with industry and conduct challenging applied research in an area that would bring additional value to the farmers and food animal growers.

5. What else should everyone know about you?

Originally I am from India and I have a great interest in finding practical and implementable solutions to alleviate under-nutrition prevalent in may developing economies.

On a personal front, I enjoy visiting places that have natural beauty and I want to contribute towards environmental protection.

6. What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?

Reading: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekanand by Swami Vivekanand
Listening to: advice from colleagues on finding my way as I settle into this position.