Eurofins UNO Endowed Chair PR
University of New Orleans and Eurofins Appoint Dr. Matthew Tarr to Professorship Aimed at Biotechnology Workforce Development
Des Moines, IA / New Orleans, LA, November 9, 2016
The University of New Orleans (UNO) and Eurofins Scientific, Inc. (ESI) announced that Dr. Matthew Tarr has been named the Eurofins Professor of Analytical Chemistry. The endowed professorship will help drive a curriculum aimed at preparing biotechnology students for productive careers in the bioanalytical arena. The professorship will be funded by Eurofins and matching state funds. Dr. Tarr is the first to hold this position at UNO and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. The professorship continues the collaboration between UNO and Eurofins, which are working jointly to create a trained laboratory work force, well-suited for the burgeoning demand for qualified scientists involved in the analytical testing of food products.
Dr. Tarr is University Research Professor of chemistry and faculty fellow in UNO’s Advanced Materials Research Institute. He served as chair of the Department of Chemistry from 2009-2015. He started at the University of New Orleans in 1995 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the Environmental Protection Agency in Athens, GA. He received his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Georgia Tech in 1992, a master’s degree in chemistry from Emory University in 1988 and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, graduating summa cum laude, from Emory University in 1988. Professor Tarr conducts research in analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, free radical oxidation of biomolecules, and synthesis and application of nanomaterials for biomarker detection and photocatalysis. He also coordinates outreach programs that provide research experiences for undergraduates, visiting international students, high school students, and high school teachers.
Recent reports show that the food testing industry has been a rapidly growing market over the last 10 years with regulations for food labeling and food safety continuing to drive this growth. This trend has steered food manufacturers to rely more heavily on third-party testing laboratories such as Eurofins for support on verifying the quality, safety and compliance of their products. By the same token, the food industry has put pressure on these independent laboratories to deliver reliable results to meet these demands with laboratory competence being the most important attribute of the service required by food companies. With this in mind, the collaboration between UNO and Eurofins aims to provide a creative response to the escalating need for well-trained scientists prepared to make meaningful contributions to this industry.
“Through the generosity and support of Michael and Judith Russell and Eurofins, the University of New Orleans has developed a very successful internship and scholarship program in collaboration with Eurofins,” said Dr. Steve Johnson, dean of the College of Sciences. “Undergraduate students work during the summer and the school year gaining invaluable, real-life working experience in cutting-edge analytical chemistry. This endowed professorship further deepens our relationship with Eurofins and will ensure that our students are receiving outstanding instruction and skills that will serve them well in the job market.”
John Reuther, President of Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratories said, “Dr. Tarr is an outstanding choice to head this program, with his extensive research in the area of analytical chemistry and the leadership that he has demonstrated over the years in the scientific community. To date, UNO has been an excellent partner for Eurofins since our company moved into the UNO Research and Technology Park. The interns and graduates that we hire from their science programs integrate well into our systems, and they have greatly contributed to the success and record-breaking growth of our laboratory here in New Orleans. All in all, we believe that this relationship will continue to pay dividends for Eurofins, UNO and their students, and the City of New Orleans.”
For more information, visit www.eurofinsus.com/food or contact:
Carlos Navarro, Director of Marketing
Eurofins North American Food Division
Phone: 515-245-3590
E-mail: carlosnavarro@eurofinsus.com
Adam Norris, Chief Communications Officer
The University of New Orleans
Phone: 504-280-6939
E-mail: amnorris@uno.edu
Notes for the editor:
Eurofins – a global leader in bio-analysis
Eurofins Scientific is a life sciences company operating internationally to provide a comprehensive range of analytical testing services to clients from a wide range of industries including the pharmaceutical, food and environmental sectors.
With 25,000 staff in more than 250 laboratories across 39 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 130,000 reliable analytical methods for evaluating the authenticity, origin, safety, identity, composition and purity of biological substances and products. The Group is committed to providing its customers with high quality services, accurate results in time and, if requested, expert advice by its highly qualified staff.
The Eurofins Group is the world leader in food testing and one of the global market leaders in pharmaceuticals and environmental testing. It intends to pursue its dynamic growth strategy and expand both its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods.
As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international players in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients’ increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the demands of regulatory authorities around the world.
The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris (ISIN FR0000038259) and Frankfurt (WKN 910 251) Stock Exchanges (Reuters EUFI.LN, Bloomberg ERF FP, ESF, EUFI.DE).
Important disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements and estimates contained herein represent the judgment of Eurofins Scientific as of the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees for future performance, and the forward-looking events discussed in this release may not occur. Eurofins Scientific disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements and estimates. All statements and estimates are made based on the data available to the Company as of the date of publication, but no guarantee can be made as to their validity.