Steve Otwell Named 2007
UF/IFAS International Fellow
W. Steven Otwell, Ph.D., a professor in the UF/IFAS Food Science and Human Nutrition Department and Florida Sea Grant seafood extension specialist, has been named the 2007 recipient of the UF/IFAS International Fellow Award.
The program Steve Otwell created has an international reputation and the work he has performed has significantly impacted the international seafood industry.
Otwell has made great contributions in advancing seafood research and the Extension capabilities of the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department.
Additionally, Otwell raised funds to construct the world-class research facilities in the Aquatic Food Products Lab. He advances graduate students through focusing on practical applications of their research.
Otwell consistently has the vision to predict and initiate both research and Extension training prior to the time they are needed, anticipating shifts in the industry his program serves.
During Otwell’s early career at UF/IFAS, Florida still had a significant domestic seafood industry. Changing conditions in the state and nation created substantive changes in the seafood industry.
While still significant in Florida, the seafood industry now focuses primarily on processing and the retail sector, relying heavily on imported seafood rather than wild-caught product from Florida or the Southeast regional waters. Otwell has been flexible in reorienting his research and extension programs to serve the changing seafood industry, a trait critically important during times of great change.
Contact: Steve Otwell
Steve Otwell is a seafood expert whose safety training, research programs, and graduate teaching have signficantly impacted the international seafood industry.
Otwell has successfully predicted major shifts in the seafood industry, allowing him to re-gear his research and training programs to industry needs before major changes occur. Anticipating change prevents costly delays, saving time and money for this important industry in Florida and around the world.
