Dr. Max Teplitski is a Chief Science Officer at the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), where he is responsible for programs and global advocacy on science, ag. technology, supply chain and sustainability. Prior to joining IFPA, Dr. Teplitski was Division Director and National Program Leader at the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, where he oversaw federal research investment portfolios in produce safety, microbiology and nutrition. An author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Teplitski was a Professor at the University of Florida. Dr. Teplitski served as a Fulbright Specialist in Agriculture (Escuela Politecnica del Litoral), U.S. Embassy Science Fellow, Biotech Outreach Speaker (U.S. Department of State), and G.E. Burch Fellow in Theoretical Medicine (Smithsonian Institution). He is a recipient of J.E. Feeley Award in Recognition of Significant Contributions in Environmental Microbiology, UF-HHMI Science For Life Distinguished Mentor Award, Animal Conservation Award (Lindberg Foundation), and W.E. Krauss Director’s Award for Excellence in Research (Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center). Dr. Teplitski served on (and chaired) UN, federal advisory and industry panels