SW New Mexico News

Francine Mezzomo Giotto, originally from Concórdia, Brazil, has joined New Mexico State University (NMSU) as a meat science professor in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

“I feel so privileged to represent this institution and plan to work hard to support NMSU’s mission to improve the lives of New Mexicans while educating the next generation of industry and educational leaders,” Mezzomo Giotto stated.

Inspired by her father, who worked for a food-processing company, and her mother, an agricultural educator, Mezzomo Giotto pursued veterinary medicine at Centro-Oeste State University. Rather than follow a traditional veterinary career path, she chose academia. She earned a master’s degree in animal production from Maringá State University and a Ph.D. in animal science from Londrina State University. During her time at Londrina State University, she studied abroad at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she secured a four-year scholarship for a second Ph.D., focusing on the meat industry and food safety.

“An important aspect in my decision to join NMSU is that it serves a multicultural population, and I immediately felt embraced,” she remarked.

The new state-of-the-art facilities at NMSU also influenced her decision. The Food Science, Security and Safety Center will be integral to her teaching, research, and Extension activities.

“The new facility is a dream come true for me, NMSU, stakeholders and the community,” she said. “The facility will enable me to provide the best teaching experience for my students while exposing them to research that addresses industry and farmers’ needs. In addition, it will help me strengthen collaborations with NMSU and other national and international institutions to promote the development of value-added agriculture and support the economic development of New Mexico.”

A version of this story appears in the spring 2024 issue of ACES Magazine.

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