Chip Simmons - NC State University

My background is in environmental and public health microbiology with research focusing on the development and implementation of methods to detect and quantify bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens and indicator organisms in water, soil, and air. I work in the areas of pre-harvest food safety for fresh produce and have joint responsibilities for research and extension at North Carolina State University. I am particularly interested in research that will benefit North Carolina as well as extension efforts that will put information gained at the University into the hands of farmers and industry personnel that can use that information to protect public health and promote industry sustainability. Current work looks at disinfection of irrigation and process water for the fresh produce industry and determining the sources, transport, and fate of microbial pathogens in produce production environments. I am a Lead Trainer for the PSA and FSPCA curriculums and am on the Lead Trainer Review Committee for the PSA. I have served as a Leaf Trainer for more than 30 PSA grower courses serving more than 500 growers. Specialties: environmental/public health microbiology, food safety, fresh produce, animal feeding operations, bacteriology, virology, parasitology