Sara Gragg joined UW–Madison in August 2023. She’s an associate professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, part of the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery program.

What is your hometown? Where did you grow up?
My hometown is Lincoln, Nebraska. I grew up on an acreage outside of town with horses, dogs and one cat.

What is your educational / professional background, including your previous position?
I have a bachelor’s in food science and technology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; a master’s in food science from Texas Tech University, with an emphasis on food safety and food microbiology; and a Ph.D. in animal science from Texas Tech University, with an emphasis on food safety and food microbiology. I was previously at Kansas State University in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. I was also a core faculty member in the Food Science Institute. At the time of my departure in summer of 2023, I was an associate professor and about to submit my packet for promotion to full professor.

How did you get into your field of research?
I was a high school student when I first learned about the food science discipline through my involvement in the FFA chapter at my high school. Students in FFA have a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program, and it was while I was considering options for my SAE program that I became involved in food science. My agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, Dr. Todd Brashears, suggested that I meet his wife, Dr. Mindy Brashears, a food microbiologist specializing in food safety. At the time, Mindy was a faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) with a food safety research program. I began working with Mindy and her graduate students at UNL to conduct small science fair projects for FFA and realized I have a passion for food safety research. Eventually, I was hired as a student worker and have worked in food safety ever since! I was extremely fortunate to have been mentored by Todd and Mindy Brashears (currently at Texas Tech University) from such an early age, and it was because of their mentoring that I am a food microbiologist today.

What are the main goals of your current research and outreach programs?
The main goal of my research program is to address food safety issues that affect the meat industry. Some specific research goals include:

1. Identifying and validating post-harvest interventions to prevent and/or reduce the presence of Salmonella or other foodborne pathogens in meat products.
2. Describing the pre-harvest transmission of foodborne pathogens in food animals, including the relationship between the pathogen, the animal host and the environment.
3. Characterizing Salmonella carriage in high-risk animal tissues, such as lymph nodes, and identifying opportunities for mitigation to reduce impact on public health.
4. Identifying and validating pre-harvest interventions to reduce foodborne pathogens in live animals

What was your first visit to campus like?
My first campus visit was a whirlwind – but a fantastic three-day experience. I specifically remember the energy I felt during my campus tour. I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of being on a campus in the middle of a busy capital city. I had great conversations with everyone I interacted with and was continually impressed by the quality of work and caliber of research underway at UW-Madison. I was also impressed by the research capabilities on campus, especially the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery building that I would eventually call home at the UW–Madison. I ended my visit feeling like the UW–Madison is a place where I could thrive and take my career to the next level, and becoming a Badger has been the best decision for my career!

What’s one thing you hope students who take a class with you will come away with?
Of course, the content is important in any class. However, I would argue that my most important task as an instructor is to prepare students to be effective professionals who are also good colleagues. I have high expectations, clearly communicate these expectations, and hold students accountable. When students leave my course, I want them to feel like they were challenged to grow as professionals and supported by me along the way. I also want students to feel comfortable using me as a resource throughout their careers, and I have had several former students reach out over the years, which is rewarding for me.

Do you feel your work relates in any way to the Wisconsin Idea? If so, please describe how.
As a microbiologist specializing in food safety, my work embodies the Wisconsin Idea by focusing on improving public health, saving lives, supporting agriculture, and protecting our global food supply. Through my mentoring and teaching, I also recognize the importance of working to preserve the future of our agriculture industry by empowering the next generation of agriculturists to be strong leaders and always do the right thing. My collective teaching, research, and outreach efforts have not just impacted people in the state of Wisconsin, but have also focused on improving food safety nationally and internationally, including several international food safety research and outreach efforts.

The pandemic forced us all to reconsider many things we took for granted. Is there something you’ve learned that has helped you through these challenging times, personally or professionally?
During the pandemic, I had young children aged six and nine. It was very difficult for my husband and me to juggle parenting and homeschooling while working full-time. I have always been a morning person, but I learned to adjust by getting up even earlier, at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, to get in a few hours of quiet work while the rest of my family was still sleeping. That habit became so effective that I still follow it today by getting up at 5 a.m. to take care of email and other high-focus tasks before heading to the office. I try to front-load my day so I can focus on my family and our children’s activities in the evenings. This habit has maximized my productivity, but it has also helped me to maximize my valuable family time.

What’s something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter at parties?
This may not make you sound smarter at parties, but I am continually sharing it with people because it is so important for reducing foodborne illnesses in consumer kitchens: DO NOT WASH YOUR RAW MEAT AND POULTRY! This practice is a serious cross-contamination event, as it sprays bacteria in the sink, around the sink, and even on your person. This is one of my favorite resources for demonstrating why this practice is an issue: https://youtu.be/JZXDotD4p9c.

What are your hobbies and other interests?
I enjoy watching and playing sports, working out, spending time outside, traveling and supporting our children in their activities. Between our two children, we cheer at band concerts, track meets, basketball games, baseball games and football games. We also enjoy playing board games as a family and playing cards with friends.