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EllenR.Simmons3816PapermillSquare,Apt.A,Knoxville,TN37909∇(540)287-4738∇esimmo15@utk.edu

SummaryofQualifications

• Over5yearsexperienceinfoodsciencethroughleadingresearchprojectsandhands-oneducationalexperience

• In-depthknowledgeofR&D,quality,andtechnicalpracticesincludingplanning,designing,implementingandanalyzingprojects

• Substantialknowledgewithbothfoodscienceandchemistryresearchstudies

EducationMasterofScienceinFoodScienceandTechnology,UniversityofTennessee,Knoxville,December2015

• Concentration:FoodMicrobiologyandFoodSafety;GPA:3.94/4.0BachelorofScienceinChemistry,ChristopherNewportUniversity,NewportNews,VA,May2013

• Concentration:OrganicChemistry;Minor:OrganismalBiology;GPA:3.22/4.0

RelevantExperience ProduceFoodSafetyAssistant,NorthCarolinaStateUniversity,March2016-present

• Supportthedevelopmentofaproducefoodsafetyeducational/extensionprogramanddeliverymechanismstoreachbroadaudiencesforprograminstruction;providesupportforweb-basedapplicationsineducationalprogramdelivery;useelectroniccommunicationchannelsforeffective,verbal,visual,andwrittencommunicationforcorrespondencewithaudiencesandcoordinateworkshops.

ResearchAssociate,UniversityofTennesseeatKnoxville,January2016-present

• Developmanuscriptsforpublications,assiststudentswithresearch,overseeinventoryandlabcleanliness;attendprojectmeetingstocommunicateresearchfindingsforoutreachandextensionmembers;teachlecturesforProfessors.

GraduateResearchAssistant,UniversityofTennesseeatKnoxville,August2013-December2015

• ConductprimaryresearchasanassistanttoProfessorMichaelDavidson;maintainlaboratorybiosafetyandchemicalhandlingstandards;assistinternsandundergraduatesinlaboratoryoperations.

OrganicProduceProject,UniversityofTennesseeatKnoxville,August2013-December2015

• Thesistitle:“Evaluationofanaturalantimicrobial-basedsanitizerasanalternativetochlorineforreducingfoodbornepathogenicbacteriaonorganicproduce”(Thesisadvisor:Dr.P.MichaelDavidson)

• Determinetheefficacyofanaturalantimicrobial-basedsanitizing(NABS)systemtoeliminatepathogenicbacteriafromorganicproduceandpreventcross-contaminationinwashtreatmentliquids–fundedbyaUSDAgrant.

OceanSpray,Inc.Project-Cranberry-BasedProductsasNaturalAntimicrobials,2014-2015

• Determinedtheefficacyofacranberry-basedantimicrobialsasinhibitorsofpathogenicbacteriaontomatoes.

FattyAcidMethylEsterAnalysisinFlaxSeedsProject,ChristopherNewportUniversity,NewportNews,VA,

2012-2013• Independentresearchexperience;knowledgeininstrumentalchemistry(GC/MS,HPLC,rotaryevaporator),

analyticalchemistry,organicchemistry,andfoodchemistrywasgained.

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PublicationsandPosterPresentations

• Simmons,EllenRebecca,"Evaluationofanaturalantimicrobial-basedsanitizerasanalternativetochlorineforreducingfoodbornepathogenicbacteriaonorganicproduce."Master'sThesis,UniversityofTennessee,2015.

• Kaplan,M.E.,E.R.Simmons,J.C.Hawkins,L.G.Ruane,andJ.M.Carney.2014.Influenceofcadmiumand

mycorrhizalfungionthefattyacidprofileofflax(Linumusitatissimum)seeds.JSciFoodAgric.95:2528-2532.

• Simmons,E.,F.Critzer,Q.Zhong,andP.M.Davidson.2015.“Efficacyofacommercialantimicrobialagenton

organiccantaloupesagainstListeriamonocytogenes.”InternationalAssociationofFoodProtectionAnnualMeeting,St.Louis,Missouri.PosterPresentation.

• Simmons,E.,F.Critzer,Q.Zhong,andP.M.Davidson.2015.“Efficacyofacommercialantimicrobialagenton

organicproduceagainstEscherichiacoliO157:H7andSalmonellaenterica.”InternationalAssociationofFoodProtectionAnnualMeeting,Portland,OR.PosterPresentation.(Also,InstituteofFoodTechnologists,VolunteerSection,Knoxville,TNJune,2015)

• Simmons,E.,M.Kaplan,J.Hawkins,L.Ruane,J.Carney.2013.“QuantitativeAnalysisoftheFattyAcid

ContentinFlaxSeedsUnderVariousGrowingConditionsbyGasChromatography/MassSpectrometry.”PAIDEIATheTwelfthAnnualUndergraduateandGraduateStudentResearchConference,NewportNews,VA.PosterPresentation.

AdditionalExperienceGraduateTeachingAssistant,UniversityofTennesseeatKnoxville,August2015-December2015

• LedasectionofFDST429(FoodMicrobiologyLaboratory)byassistingstudentswithexperiments,gradinghomework,quizzes,andlaboratoryreports,monitoringlaboratorybiosafety,andmentoringstudents.

CertifiedPharmacyTechnician,CVS/Pharmacy,NewportNews,VA,May2011-July2013

• UnderthesupervisionofaPharmacist,enteredcustomerdataintoacomputer,filledprescriptions,facilitatedcustomerswithcheckoutanddrop-offofallprescriptions,andaidedininventorymanagement.

ChemistryClubPresident,ChristopherNewportUniversity,NewportNews,VA,August2011-May2013

• Organizedt-shirtssales,laboratorygogglesalesandbeakermugsales;organizedclubeventsandfundraisers;leadeverymeeting;raisedmoneytodonatetoWorldWildlifeFoundation.

StudentTeachingAssistant,ChristopherNewportUniversity,NewportNews,VA,January-May2013

• Gradedstudents’homework,quizzes,exams,andlaboratoryreports,taughtlaboratorysafety,andledstudentsintheircontinuededucationinaninorganicchemistrycourse.

CustomerServiceAssociate,WildernessPresidentialResort,Fredericksburg,VAApril2004-August2009

• Oversawcustomer’sfoodorders,makingsuretheirfoodwasdeliveredtotheirtablesontime,andthatthecustomersremainedcontentduringtheirstayattheresort;oversawallmoney,orders,andinventorythroughouttheworkday.

ActivitiesandMembershipsCertifications InstituteofFoodTechnologists,Member2014-currentHACCP,UniversityofTennesseecertifiedInternationalAssociationofFoodProtection,Member2015-currentBetterProcessControlJournalClub,UniversityofTennessee,2015VirginiaPharmacyTechnicianBoard,2011-2013ChemistryClub,ChristopherNewportUniversity,NewportNews,VAAlphaPhiOmega,AlphaDeltaXichapter,inducted2012BetaBetaBeta,BiologicalHonorSociety,inducted2011