Food for thought: How Thomas A. Burke ’13 tracks the food supply chain and keeps your meals safe from ‘farm to fork’
When he first left for college, Thomas A. Burke ’13 intended to be a nuclear physicist,
studying the subatomic particles that make up our universe.
So you might be wondering how Burke now finds himself in the completely different
field of food science, where he tracks the movements of food products and their ingredients
through the supply chain, helping ensure the food that reaches your plate is safe
to eat.
Originally earning a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from K-State, he currently
serves as project manager II at Eagle Scientific LLC, consulting on food traceability
for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
He credits taking the course Principles of Biology for helping him realize that his
true calling was in biological systems, drawing inspiration from the native prairie
he grew up around. K-State helped shape that passion, and continues to guide him through
his work in food science.
“Through a roundabout way into food science, K-State's experiences, education and
resources (especially Hale Library!) established the foundation that I've used throughout
my career,” Burke said. “What I love about food science is that it is something that
touches upon each and every one of our lives. There's passion, culture and history
to the food industry that distinguishes it from other sectors; indeed, it's the foundation
of civilization.”
From infectious disease to food safety
After graduating from Salina High School South, Burke was awarded a Questbridge Scholarship
to the University of Chicago. However, he said that his disabilities were poorly accommodated
during his time at school, and he even experienced discrimination. He later transferred
to K-State, where he said he discovered an incredibly supportive learning environment.
“Kansas State’s Student Access Center was instrumental in my understanding how to
advocate for my needs and in arranging necessary accommodations,” Burke said. “Dean
Alison Wheatley was a special advocate for me when I was undergoing particularly hard
semesters. I also had some particularly understanding professors, like Dr. Kristin
Michel, who went out of their way to assist me when they noticed I was struggling.”
While at K-State, Burke developed an interest in infectious diseases, inspired by
the Biosecurity Research Institute and the One Health research taking place at the
College of Veterinary Medicine.
“I wanted my interest in biological systems to have real world impact rather than
be a purely academic exercise,” he said. “So I saw infectious disease research as
a way to stimulate my curiosity about the natural world while also contributing positively
to society.”
The next stop on his career journey was earning a Master of Public Health in epidemiology
at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, Georgia. During
his time there, he said he started applying his academic interest in infectious disease
and biosecurity towards resolving food safety challenges at the Georgia Department
of Agriculture.
Through his work at GDA with foodborne illnesses, Burke said he encountered challenges
in quickly resolving food supply chain investigations and recalls, due to a lack of
readily available traceability records.
Wanting to work on solving some of those issues, he spent time consulting for the
Institute of Food Technologists’ Global Food Traceability Center, where he dove deeply
into food traceability research, standardization and technology development. He then
worked for two years at Chipotle Mexican Grill, managing their extensive digital food
traceability system, including serving as their subject matter expert on RFID technology
(using radio waves to identify and track objects).
Finally, he was recruited to consult for the Food and Drug Administration as a government
contractor, where he now contributes to supply chain resiliency and tech-enabled traceability.
Digging deeper into food safety
Burke said one of the best analogies for his day-to-day work is the popular TV show
How It's Made. However, rather than looking at just one facility, he is evaluating food's entire
production and distribution process “from farm to fork.”
He spends time both in the field and behind a desk. Fieldwork consists of visiting
specific food production sites, distribution centers and restaurants/food retailers.
In the office, he guides teams of developers and business owners to create novel software
for food supply chain needs, and also supports collaborations between nonprofits,
governments, industry and technology stakeholders.
“Because of the global nature of food, I've evaluated everything from wet seafood
markets in Hong Kong to massive onion farms in Eastern Oregon,” he said. “In both
field and desktop activities, I am running experiments and pilots to inform the future
development of digitized food supply chain components.”
Burke said that one of the biggest challenges in his profession is the constant evolution
of technology, and the need to keep learning and adapting. However, there’s no career
he’d rather be involved in.
“I love that I work with everyone from Ph.D. scientists to front-line food handlers,
because we all contribute to that shared system,” he said. “There are huge environmental
impacts to the way we approach the food system, so working on creating more efficient
food supply chain systems will assist with industrial changes to a more sustainable
world. Lastly, improving the public's health through better food systems is both rewarding
and drives me to work my hardest each day.”
Want to learn more about Burke’s involvement in food science and his time at K-State? Continue scrolling to our questionnaire below!
At K-State: What are some of the skills, connections, etc. you gained from your time
at K-State that still help you in your career today?
Burke: From Kansas State, the skills I use most frequently come from Dr. Revathi Govind's
Genetics of Microorganisms and Dr. Chuck Rice's Soil Microbiology classes. Though
I do not work on genetics or soil science in my day-to-day work, Dr. Govind's explanations
and diagrams still inspire the way I approach computer systems design while Dr. Rice's
class influences the way I conceptualize and influence complex systems. Additionally,
being a student worker at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory gave me substantial
experience at the intersection of veterinary medicine and human health. I continue
my connections with K-State in my career and enjoy collaborating with Dr. Valentina
Trinetta at the Food Science Institute. Lastly, I am an avid K-State football fan,
which can pay some dividends professionally. Being able to talk college football can
come in handy when getting to know folks!
At K-State: What are some interesting facts/details about the food science industry
people may not be aware of, and how it impacts their daily lives?
Burke: A fun fact related to my work is the ubiquity of product identity standards
in our lives. Most all foods you buy in stores are labeled with a specific barcode
type (UPC-A), and the standards for using these barcodes are all promulgated by one
non-profit federation, GS1, that exists in nearly every country of the world. Only
through their standards are we able to have the logistical throughput and data visibility
we enjoy today. Through standardization processes, much of our modern conveniences
and economic systems are made possible. All from some nerds in a room talking about
barcodes!