Student researches pesticide levels in food in U.S. and Japan

Josh Huffines was funded by a School of Arts & Sciences grant to work with sociology professor Elizabeth Ransom this summer on a project called “The U.S. Food Safety System: An Analysis of Pesticide and Nanotechnology Regulation.”

Describe your research project in one or two paragraphs.

The research project I have been conducting is designed to compare the pesticide regulatory systems in the United States and Japan. My advisor and I worked in conjunction with a research team from Japan to compare the two nations take on the task of regulating pesticide levels in food products. We focused on the U.S. regulatory system by conducting an extensive literature review and content analysis of major U.S. newspaper publications from the past ten years.

Our goal was to gain a better understanding of the social, legal, and economic forces that have shaped our food regulatory standards and how these have varied overtime and across locations (United States versus Japan).  Our hope was to better understand all aspects of the pesticide regulatory standards and compare them to those results found by our colleagues in Japan to gain an educated grasp on how two nation-states, Japan and the US, are similar and different in their approach to regulating pesticide residues on food.

So what made you decide to pursue undergraduate research this summer?

The opportunity to do research was really compelling to me because the end result is a direct correlation of the effort and thinking that you put into your project. I was originally interested in conducting research because I wanted to learn as much as I could about the global and domestic food system. Unlike most normal summer jobs or internships, where you are just along for the ride with your supervisor, research allows me to investigate subjects that interest me and allows me to do analysis on many different levels. 

How did you find the right advisor?

I contacted Dr Ransom, a professor I had during my freshman year, during the second semester of the school year in an attempt to join in some research that was on the slate for the summer. It just happened that Dr Ransom and a colleague from Japan were taking on a project to analyze pesticide regulations between the US and Japan, and I jumped on board as soon as possible.  

What prepared you for this opportunity? 

The book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser was a really inspiring read that perked my interest in the food system. Most people (myself included) don’t really think about where their food comes from or how it’s made as long as it tastes good and is affordable.  However, after I read the book and learned of many of the trade secrets in food production, I became really interested in the subject.

How do you see this project contributing to your collegiate success during the rest of your time at Richmond?

This project has taught me a lot about time management and organization. I thought I had those two areas under control before I took on this project, but now, I definitely have a much tighter grasp on them. I hope that my research this summer allows me to segue into ethnographic research abroad next summer to study agricultural practices in sub-Saharan Africa or Middle America.

You’ve got a crystal ball. What’s in store for you after graduation? 

Graduate school is definite. Where I may end up or what I may be studying is still up in the air. Right now, I think that I would like to work somewhere in the field of agriculture, either for a government agency, like the Food and Drug Administration or the United States Department of Agriculture. I might be interested in an international organization, like the Food and Agriculture Organization or the United Nations World Food Programme, or for a firm involved in agri-business. Right now the road I choose is still up in the air, but at least I know the general direction I will be taking.

A full day of research lies ahead of you. What’s on your iPod?

Well, I like to mix it up a little bit.  My playlist will include some softer music that will allow me to focus, like Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, and Jimmy Buffett, as well as some more energetic music, like Guns N Roses, Bruce Springsteen, Rush, and Led Zeppelin, which I can hype myself up with. I will also mix in a little country, like Kenny Chesney or Alabama depending on my mood.

What has a liberal arts education at the University of Richmond meant to you?

The liberal arts education at Richmond has given me a completely different college experience from many of my friends back home. The personal attention and intimate learning experience available in classes at Richmond is in stark contrast to the large, informal learning experience at many larger schools.

More Department Features »