Dean Lela O'Toole International Speaker Series: Montague Demment
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Expert focuses on links between improved human nutrition and economic development
Associate Vice-President for International Development of the Association of Public
and Land-grant Universities Montague (Tag) Demment will be the guest speaker for the Dean Lela O’Toole International Speaker Series at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 28, in the Noble Research Center 106. Oklahoma State
University’s College of Human Sciences is sponsoring the event as part of Human Sciences
Week 2012. The public presentation is a collaborative effort for the Global Briefing
series with OSU’s School of International Studies and Outreach.
Demment’s presentation Building Human Capacity: The Foundation of Social and Economic Developmentwill reflect his extensive research in East Africa. As a professor of agronomy at University
of California-Davis, he led US Agency for International Development funded projects
that show the value of animal-source foods for cognitive and physical development
of children in developing countries. His findings reveal direct links between economic
growth and improved nutrition. The impact of early micronutrient malnutrition results
in stunted growth, lower cognitive abilities and severe health issues. These factors
in turn lead to limited education, lowered physical work capacity and shortened life
expectancy. Lowered productivity capacity of the population constricts its ability
to participate in economic sustainability and growth.
Demment has worked to demonstrate the need for more productive interaction between
agricultural scientists and nutritionists. Nutrition interventions with animal source
foods have been shown to be excellent investments in development. Investing in human
capital begins with improved access to food sources that deliver the micronutrients
necessary for children to develop cognitively and physically.
Established in 1995, The Dean Lela O’Toole International Speaker Series in the College of Human Sciences focuses on timely and relevant topics related to
public policy, ethics, and international issues in the scholastic areas of the college.
Lela O’Toole served as dean of the College of Human Sciences from 1951-1975. She believed
universities have an important role in the conduct of international and world affairs.
Dean O’Toole’s interest in the world community led the college and Oklahoma State
University to a position of international leadership during the mid-twentieth century.