How does it feel to be recognised for the work you’ve done for IFST over the last 12 months
I feel honoured and privileged to receive 'mug of the week' from IFST! I've thoroughly enjoyed being part of the student group thus far, so getting recognised for the work I've done is a bonus. Plus, one can never have too many novelty mugs....
Why is it important to be a member of a body like IFST?
I feel one of the main reasons to become a member, is that it brings lots of opportunity to network. I've met so many people since joining, all of which have happily given me advice and guidance on both my career path and current studies. It's also beneficial to be a member of a professional institute within the food industry to enable us to be well informed on current ‘hot topics’ and to make us aware of upcoming events such as conferences etc.
You are Secretary of IFSTs Student Group – tell us about it….
Since becoming secretary of the IFST Student Group I've attended talks, meetings and various other events, where I've met lots of lovely new people. So far, we've mainly be spreading the word about the group. For example, I gave a talk about the benefits of becoming a member at a recent conference at the University of Reading. It's important that we get the word out there, and although a lot more students are now aware of the group, our work in this area is nowhere near done!
Tell us a little about what you are currently up to.
I'm currently very busy completing my thesis for submission in September. My project focuses on whole-grain and heart disease, and I produced a flatbread product which was used in a human clinical trial. I've enjoyed doing my PhD, and in many ways don't want it to end! However, I'm looking forward to finding employment and after I finish, I hope to secure a job in the food industry. Other than that, I'm walking my dog and doing lots of yoga to ease the stress!
Tell us something about yourself that not many people know
I left school at 16, without doing A-levels, and worked in the shipping industry before deciding Food Science and Nutrition was what I was really passionate about. So after a lot of hard work and determination, I'm now completing a PhD in the subject area! It just goes to show, you can achieve anything if you put in the effort - and it's never too late to achieve your dreams!
