Food Communicators

In April 2016, I was chosen to participate in the Institute of Food Technologists' Food Communicators Workshop at the IFT Headquarters in Chicago, IL with nine other enthusiastic food science students to discuss the way we talk about food and strategies for effective communication amongst each other and non-scientists with interest in their food and where it comes from. With increasing interest in food, many non-scientists lack the resources to understand food science and many of the topics that we deal with on a regular basis. This workshop helped all participants develop skills to talk to non-scientists about what we do, as well as how to use social media to develop a relationship with consumers and help convey information more effectively.

IFT Disney Product Development

In 2016, a group of fellow graduate students and I were selected to compete in the final round of the Institute of Food Technologists' Product Development competition sponsored by Disney, which focused on developing healthy snacks for children with a Disney character theme. Our product, Rey's Rations: Jakku Juice Orbs featured colorful, whimsical orbs of strawberry and orange juices suspended in apple juice. Eaten with a spoon, these orbs contained two servings of fruit and one serving of vegetables per serving. We were awarded first place for this product after writing a technical report and giving a presentation to a panel of judges on the IFT Expo floor.