Thoughts on the Shields Chair

John M. Krochta — July 23, 1998

Peter J. Shields was a great friend of the Dairy Industry, the State of California, and the University of California. A dairy farmer, attorney, Secretary of the State Agricultural Society, Superior Court Judge, President of the California State Dairy Association and the California Livestock Breeder Association, he continuously promoted dairy improvement and was instrumental in drafting the bill which created what is now the Davis campus of the University of California (UC-Davis).

Peter J. Shields was recognized by UC-Davis with the first honorary degree ever awarded by the Davis campus and was also recognized by the naming of a major street, the main library, and a grove of oak trees on the Davis campus. He and his wife bequeathed the major portion of their estate to The Regents to support scholarships and enrich the Arboretum on the Davis campus.

Thus, it was appropriate that the visionary decision by the California Milk Advisory Board and the California Manufacturing Milk Advisory Board to create a Chair in Dairy Food Science in the Department of Food Science and Technology on the Davis campus would include the determination that the Chair be named after Peter J. Shields. Thus, the Peter J. Shields Chair in Dairy Food Science recognizes the historic relationship of the founder of the Davis campus to the Dairy Industry.

The purposes of the Shields Chair are to:

We live in an age where unparalleled tools for research, teaching and communication are available. However, it is a time calling for great wisdom in the application of these tools for the most constructive and productive ends. Thus, at this initial time of humbly occupying the Chair created and sustained by dedicated, visionary people and named after a great man, I have the following broad goals and activities in mind:

Shields Chair Goals

As the new Shields Chair, I plan to work with the California Dairy Industry, associated Dairy Groups, Dairy Researchers and Teachers, Dairy Extension Specialists and University Administrators to:

  • Realize the full potential of dairy foods research at UC-Davis and improve the productivity of the relationship among the Dairy Industry, UC-Davis, and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly-SLO).
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  • Optimize approaches to identifying important dairy challenges and opportunities and then attract the best researchers at UC-Davis and Cal Poly-SLO to these areas.
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  • Enhance the effective teaching of Dairy Food Science at UC-Davis in a coordinated manner with Cal Poly-SLO.
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  • Enhance, encourage and support communications, understanding and technology transfer among UC-Davis, Cal Poly-SLO and the California Dairy Industry.

    • Shields Chair Activities

  • Work with UC-Davis and Cal Poly-SLO colleagues to develop a strategic plan for serving the research, teaching and outreach needs of the California Dairy Industry.
  • Work with John Bruhn (UC-Davis-DRINC & CDFRC) and Les Ferreira (Cal Poly-SLO-DPTC) to develop an annual meeting of dairy researchers from UC-Davis and Cal Poly-SLO with dairy industry representatives to report research progress and define research needs.
  • Work to develop a UC-Davis Food Science and Technology Dairy Processing Facility for teaching and research to complement the pilot processing facility at Cal Poly-SLO.
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  • Meet regularly with key dairy-related individuals such as Adri Boudewyn (CMAB), Joe O’Donnell (CDRF), John Bruhn (UCD-DRINC & CDFRC), and faculty at UC-Davis and Cal Poly-SLO to increase understanding and cooperation.
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