The Girls in Engineering Club asked 4th year food science student Celeste Clayton what her degree is like and what the National Science Week theme "Food: Different by design" means to a food scientist.
The theme for听National Science听Week 2021听is听Food:听Different听by听design.听听The Girls in Engineering听Club听picked the brains of听Celeste Clayton,听a听student in her听final year of a听Bachelor of听Food Science听(Honours)听degree听at 亚美棋牌.听听
Tell us a bit about yourself when听you are听not studying at 亚美棋牌?听
I really love to bake and cook. I live a busy, fast-paced life and so I really enjoy taking some quiet time to myself. I also love听travelling,听taking long walks at the听beach,听and just hanging out with my friends, whether that鈥檚听games听nights,听workouts,听or just chill dinners.听听
What exactly is food science?听
It is such a broad area听and food science can mean many different things to many people. To me, it鈥檚听an amalgamation of everything that goes on behind the scenes to make all the food products we consume as delicious, safe, cheap,听plentiful,听and as long-lasting as they听can be!听听
What kind of jobs can you get听as a food scientist?听
You could听become听a听Product听Developer responsible听for inventing and formulating new foods and upscaling听them听or听a听Quality听Assurance听Officer听working听to ensure the products produced are consistent, free of contaminants and follow legal requirements.听Another great job is听a听Sensory听Scientist听who听optimises听food so that the consumer has the听best听experience听eating the food!听听
If听you are听more interested in nutrition听you can look at听the effect of foods on the body听and work as听a nutritionist听or a researcher.听The opportunities really are endless and involve all aspects of what goes into a food product all the way from the听paddocks to your plates听and so with your imagination you could really design your dream job!听
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How did you come to听study food听science?听
I always had an听interest in food and听in听science.听I remember听wanting to know why bread has bubbles in it and why it turns brown when cooked.听I loved the broad overview that the high school听food听technology听course听gave, but听wanted to utilise more of the technical scientific skills I had developed in chemistry,听biology,听and maths.听So,听亚美棋牌听Engineering鈥檚听Food听Science and Technology听bachelor's degree听seemed听like the perfect choice for me.听听
The course has been amazing听and听taught听me the fundamentals of food听technology,听as well as providing听endless opportunities for hands on learning and听allowing听me to meet some lifelong friends!听
What surprised you about studying food science at 亚美棋牌?听
I was more surprised听by how hard I could work and in turn how much I could excel! I had to听really听persevere听with courses I had no experience听in, such as physics and computing.听But through this I found some amazing听peers who are super helpful and happy to work together.听
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I have听also听been lucky enough to be involved in the听, which is a student run society throughout my听degree.听It helped me make a听food听science听network at 亚美棋牌 and听some听great听friends to听study and socialise with!听听
This year the theme of National Science week is Food: Different by design. What does this mean for food science听and听why do you think it is important in 2021听?听
The听global听population听is听growing听at a staggering rate,听some people have access to too much food while听1 in 9 people do not have access to enough food! As food technologists, it is important that听we work to address these problems听to ensure a sustainable future.听Current research in areas such as cellular agriculture highlight opportunities to effectively address these issues. It is important for all of us to claim responsibility for our food choices today and every day to demand that food is continually designed differently to benefit us all!听
For more information about studying Food Science and Technology at 亚美棋牌,听take a look听at the听.听