Michael Batz

Current

• Head, Food Safety Programs, Emerging Pathogens Institute at University of Florida
• Executive Director at Food Safety Research Consortium

Past

• Research Program Director at University of Maryland School of Medicine
• Research Associate at Resources for the Future

Education

• Carnegie Mellon University
• Carnegie Mellon University

Connections

148 connections

Industry

Public Policy

Websites

• My Company
• My Company

Michael Batz’s Summary

The overall thrust of my research is the use of data analysis and computer modeling approaches to inform decision making in the areas of public health and environmental policy. For the last seven years, my focus has been on food safety policy.

My current research includes the use of comparative risk assessment (or risk ranking) to inform risk-based allocation of resources, quantitative modeling of food safety interventions, improving the national food safety information infrastructure, and better understanding how federal, state, and local food safety agencies can be better integrated into a more preventative scientific risk-based food safety system.

This research is grounded in an interest in the use of decision analysis and risk analysis approaches informed by a wide variety of disciplines (microbiology, economics, epidemiology, statistics, mathematics) to provide evidence-based, science-based, and risk-based information to policy makers. Decision making under uncertainty is a driving interest.

Past research has included the valuation of health states through economic measures and quality of life measures such as QALYs and DALYs, understanding the regional impacts of carbon taxes, uncertainty in regulatory impact assessment, decision making of small-scale Oaxacan coffee farmers, brick-kiln air pollution modeling in Juarez, Mexico, evaluating air pollution policies using large-scale models, and predicting future costs of Superfund program.

Michael Batz’s Specialties:

simulation modeling; risk analysis; decision support systems; program development

Michael Batz’s Experience

• Head, Food Safety Programs, Emerging Pathogens Institute

  University of Florida

  (Educational Institution; 51-200 employees; Higher Education industry)

  July 2007 — Present (2 years 5 months)

  Develop and coordinate a interdisciplinary food safety research program as part of newly formed statewide Institute, drawing from faculty and researchers at UF and other Florida universities; strategic planning and institutional outreach for EPI; individual research on decision support systems and risk analysis to support food safety policy

• Executive Director

  Food Safety Research Consortium

  (Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Public Policy industry)

  July 2006 — Present (3 years 5 months)

  Coordinate a multi-disciplinary collaboration to improve food safety decision making among six large universities and a non-profit research institution.

• Research Program Director

  University of Maryland School of Medicine

  (Educational Institution; 501-1000 employees; Research industry)

  July 2006 — June 2007 (1 year )

  Researched food safety information infrastructure and data sharing issues; developed and populated a comparative risk assessment model for foodborne pathogens, using Monte Carlo simulation and statistical analysis; assisted management of food safety research program

• Research Associate

  Resources for the Future

  (Public Policy industry)

  1999 — 2006 (7 years )

Michael Batz’s Education

• Carnegie Mellon University

  M.Sc. , ECE: Electrical and Computer Engineering , 1997 — 1998

• Carnegie Mellon University

  B.Sc. , ECE/EPP: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering and Public Policy , 1993 — 1997

  Carnegie Mellon Resident Assistant of the Year 1996

  Activities and Societies:

  AB Tech, AB Films, Women's Center, Amnesty International, WRCT, EPP Student Advisory Council, Sexual Assault Advisors

Additional Information

Michael Batz’s Websites:

• My Company
• My Company

Michael Batz’s Interests:

decision making under uncertainty, risk assessment and management, food safety policy, sustainability, environmental policy, furniture design, interior architecture, screenprinted rock posters, independent film

Michael Batz’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch