Mike Gabel laughs anytime he sees food scientists depicted as wearing lab coats and looking through microscopes. It’s not how he sees himself and the work that he does. In fact, he claims that in his 20-year career as a food scientist, he’s never even used a microscope. Instead, Mike helps food entrepreneurs develop products and bring them to market.  Mike is the Director of the Food Innovation Center here at CSU Spur, which has the goal of supporting food innovators through various services and by creating a place for their ideas to be fostered and grow. He has led innovation teams at Wi ..read more

If you talk to George Franklin he’ll be the first to tell you that lobbyists have a bad rap. Ask him and he will emphasize that integrity and building trust with those around you is what make a good lobbyist, and those things are not often the image that’s depicted on screen and online.  In this special episode of Spur of the Moment, you will hear a conversation between Kristin Kirkpatrick, Managing Director of CSU Spur Partnerships and Advancement, and George Franklin, author, speaker, long-time lawyer, lobbyist, and former Vice President of Government Relations for the Kellogg Company ..read more

April Giles gets to see things every day that most people don’t — people trying to change the world. Whether it’s predicting lung cancer, molecular wound care, or groundbreaking arthritis treatment, she works closely with organizations from startups to commercial enterprises that are focused on healthcare and life science innovation.  April Giles is the Vice President of Business Development for the Fitzsimons Innovation Community at the University of Colorado. The Fitzsimons Innovation Community is a place where health and life sciences companies are co-located on a collaborative campus ..read more

Nature conservation can mean a lot of things in different contexts — it’s not just working in wetlands and forests, but it also has a role to play in the ways our cities function, too. Additionally, nature doesn’t recognize boundaries or borders, and it requires cooperation between the different countries and states that many natural areas cover. This is the kind of work Leslie Harroun focuses on every day as Executive Director of the Salazar Center for North American Conservation.  The Salazar Center works to build conservation, leadership, thinking, and practice across North America to ..read more

Coca-Cola is one of the most recognized brands on the planet, but how much do you know about their efforts towards a more sustainable planet? For instance their global goal of replenishing 100% of water used during beverage production? Or collecting and recycling a bottle or can for every one sold by 2030? They’re big-time ambitions, and Bruce Karas and his team were tasked with making that happen.  Bruce Karas is the Principal Consultant at Circular Futures. He has over 30 years of experience as an environmental safety professional and worked with various companies on health stewardship ..read more

Dan Dye thinks a lot about food. More specifically, Dan thinks a lot about how we can improve our food systems to make for a healthier and more holistic future for both the employees within those sectors and the communities that rely on them.   Dan is the CEO of Ardent Mills, a flour and milling company based here in Denver, CO, and the sponsor of the Ardent Mills Teaching and Culinary Center here in the Terra building at CSU Spur. He currently serves on the executive committee of the North American Millers’ Association; on the boards of directors of the American Bakers’ Association, Par ..read more

If you have ever been to one of Adam Schlegel’s restaurant ventures here in Denver, you probably understand his ethos: food is fun, and it starts from the top down. From cozy brunch spots that aim to make breakfast a party, to a chicken joint inspired by his time in Australia, Adam is on a mission to make healthy food exciting and experiential.   Adam is CEO of Cumulus Etc, a consulting company focused on food, beverage, agriculture, and sustainability. Some of the restaurants he’s had a hand in creating include Chook Charcoal Chicken, Sun Valley Public Market, and Snooze an AM Eatery.&n ..read more

Throughout her career, Dr. Sybil Sharvelle has been focused on the notion of fit-for-purpose water. That is, “How can we take various forms of wastewater (i.e. greywater, stormwater, etc..) and treat it to make it safe for human and agricultural consumption?”    A professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University, Dr. Sharvelle also serves as the technical director for the Water TAP lab here at CSU Spur — a groundbreaking facility focused on answering that very same question: “How do we reuse water for the right purposes?”   In this ..read more

Dr. Lakisha Odom, Scientific Program Director at the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), firmly believes in the inclusivity of agriculture. She actively puts that to work by leveraging innovative science and interdisciplinary thinking to address the complex challenges in food and agriculture. Her work at FFAR bridges research and policy, aiming to tackle complex issues while inspiring future generations of diverse and multi-cultural food and ag scientists. She is unapologetically herself — bubbly and energetic, even as a scientist — and wants you to believe that you can be ..read more

The nature of work is evolving rapidly, posing both challenges and opportunities for companies. How do organizations adapt to this shifting landscape to attract and retain talent? That moving target is exactly what Joe Fuller is trying to hit. A Professor of Management Practice in General Management at the Harvard School of Business and co-lead of the school’s initiative, Managing the Future of Work, Joe Fuller spent nearly three decades in consulting, working with senior executives and policymakers on a wide variety of issues related to corporate strategy and national competitiveness. Current ..read more