June 2013 brought the retirement of Associate Professor Brent Skura. Skura joined the Faculty as an Assistant Professor in 1975 after completing his PhD in Food Science at UBC. He earned his BSc and MSc in Food Science at the University of Alberta where he met his wife, Val, a Food Science Research Technician in our Food, Nutrition and Health building until her retirement last year. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1982.
Skura has taken on a number of leadership roles in our Faculty through the years, including Director of our Global Resources Systems program, a position he’s filled since 2003 and one that he will continue to occupy for the next year. He was also the Director of the Applied Biology program (formerly Agroecology) and has served as Associate Dean, Academic.
He extended his service across UBC, sitting on many cross-campus committees, including the UBC International Student Advisory Committee, the Campus Advisory Board on International Activities and the International Student Initiative Advisory Committee.
Skura’s research on modified atmosphere packaging of sliced fruit led to the issuance of a patent in the United States and Australia. The technology, developed by a research team composed of Brent, Dr. W.D. Powrie and Dr. C.H. Wu, received a great deal of worldwide interest. A production plant is in operation in Costa Rica where fresh, sliced pineapple is packaged under modified atmosphere for shipment and sale in Europe.
J. Honeybourn, 2013