Judith is volunteer of the week for setting up blogs for two students to write about their work experience placements. Judith is an active volunteer, especially with helping to promote IFST to students.
How does it feel to be recognised as Volunteer of the Week?
It feels great to be recognised as Volunteer of the Week – thank you.
You’re actively involved in helping IFST to promote to students. Why do you think it’s important for students to be a member of IFST?
There are a number of reasons as to why students should be encouraged to be members of the IFST. For one the IFST organise a number of excellent events such as the Student Launchpad events. This year will be the 3rd year we have taken our students to this event – it’s a fantastic opportunity for students to network with a range of industry professionals from such a broad and diverse range of backgrounds and career paths. The Launchpad events gives the students an experience of networking that is difficult to recreate on campus. There are other events such as The Chemistry of Cocktails and Cooking roadshows which again give the students an opportunity to network with members of the industry in fun evenings. Finally I think it’s important for students to be members of the IFST for them to start to see the professionalism of the world of work they are about to enter. There is a shortage of Food Scientists in the UK – by being members of the IFST they are demonstrating their commitment to their profession and that one of their roles is to represent the food industry and be ambassadors for the profession and in Jon Poole’s words for the students to become this network and community of food scientists.
Tell us something that few people know.
When I was 12, Rolls Royce where my dad worked set up a factory in Miami so my family moved there for a year. Going from a small market town in the East Midlands to Miami in the early 80’s was quite a shock but studying abroad for a year was quite instrumental in giving me a life changing experience.
