Salam A. Ibrahim, Ph.D., is passionate about food science. In his 21 years as a professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Ibrahim’s contributions have ranged from ground-breaking research to improve the quality, shelf-life and safety of dairy food products, to helping the food industry solve problems related to packaging and transportation.
Ibrahim’s latest contribution will serve to shepherd the food science program into the future. With the help of N.C. A&T’s Division of University Advancement, he has established an endowment for the program, one that he hopes will enable it to expand its reach and impact for years to come.
Now, Ibrahim is opening the door welcome other faculty, industry partners and alumni to join in this funding effort.
“I’ve been thinking about this for years,” Ibrahim said. “We have high-quality students, good faculty, and we do outstanding work, but funding is always a challenge. I want to help make it less of a challenge.”
In his agreement with the university, Ibrahim will personally donate $5,000 each year up to $25,000 towards the endowment, in addition to personal property that he has willed. The total amount of the endowment has not been defined yet and will depend on the results of the fundraising effort among faculty, alumni and industry being directed by Justin Lewter, director of development for the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
The endowment’s yearly awards will eventually be shared by a student in the food sciences program and a faculty member, Ibrahim said.
The goal is to present the first awards in 2022.
During his tenure at N.C. A&T, Ibrahim has advanced theoretical knowledge of the properties of foods, particularly dairy products, and aided industry with practical solutions to problems associated with food storage and transport. He is the director of the Food Microbiology Lab at the university, and his research on yogurt and the selection of yogurt culture has led to changes in industry practices, including the addition of calcium and other micronutrients to boost yogurt products’ nutritive value and health benefits for consumers.
Ibrahim is equally proud of his work in guiding and mentoring the next generation of food scientists, work that his endowment will support.
“My goal is to create a creative, engaging, supportive environment that will help to recruit and retain students, and also improve our ability to do research,” Ibrahim said. “All of my research has come through N.C. A&T, and I am proud of my accomplishments. Now, I want to help others grow and advance.”
For information on how to make a gift to the college, contact Lewter at 336-285-3055 or jmlewter1@ncat.edu.
