Food Protection Trends - November/December 2023 - 526

Our Experiences (continued)
It was an honor to receive the Student Travel Scholarship for this year's IAFP Annual
Meeting. I am grateful for the funding provided by the IAFP Foundation that allowed me
to attend the conference in Toronto and am also appreciative to Susan Smith and Tamara
Ford who helped prepare me for IAFP 2023, from travel tips to arranging mentors.
This year's mentorship program was extremely helpful to me. My mentor, Neil Bogart,
is an enthusiastic food safety professional and well-connected to the industry. Through
him, I was introduced to multiple industry professionals who are relevant to my research
work and therefore might be beneficial to my career. I am thankful for all the opportunities
he provided for me to network with industry people. Without him, it would have
been difficult to find these opportunities by myself.
Chenhao " Luke " Qian
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
Since I am about to graduate, I spent more time touring the Exhibit Hall this year. I
believe talking to industry representatives and learning about their innovations helped me
stay connected to the current industry trends. I was excited to find that many software
companies are stepping into the world of food safety and quality. Most of them are trying
to develop a system for managing and analyzing food safety data. Communicating with
them made me more confident that my research outcomes can be applied in the future
once more food companies begin adopting this type of digital infrastructure.
In addition to making industry connections, I also benefited from the poster session
where I was able to learn from my peers and receive updates on the most recent
research outcomes. I was thrilled to find many graduate students who are conducting similar research as mine, and
communicating with them about the challenges and visions we shared is particularly meaningful to me.
Among the past three IAFP Annual Meetings that I have attended, this was by all means my best experience. I certainly
came back from the conference with more motivation for my research to develop tools that can further improve food safety
and quality for the general public. All of this would be impossible without the support of this travel scholarship. With that, I look
forward to next year's meeting in Long Beach, California, and encourage all students to apply for this travel scholarship.
Aishwarya Rao
University of Maryland,
College Park
College Park, Maryland
I am extremely honored to have been selected as a 2023 Student Travel Scholarship
recipient. IAFP Annual Meetings never cease to amaze me, and I have always come
away with answers to questions and food for thought, as well as the " freebies " and
contacts from the Exhibit Hall.
My assigned mentor, Dr. Brooke Whitney - one of the first two recipients of this travel
scholarship - introduced me to numerous professionals, who not only contributed to
my network but also offered valuable advice on how to shape my career trajectory and
answered my questions, no matter how rudimentary. Each day was a unique experience
with interactions with government, academia, and industry professionals, while running
between technical sessions, roundtables, PDG meetings, and seminars. One of the first
things that struck me about IAFP is how inclusive the organization and all the attendees are.
It was a truly special experience as a student to be included in professional conversations.
Every member with whom I interacted had words of support and encouragement.
The sessions had so much to offer that it was hard to decide on which ones to attend!
Ranging from sessions pertinent to my current research to what I want to do in my future
career, there were several symposia that I came away from, feeling excited for the future of
food safety. Some of the research being done served as motivation and a scientific basis
for developing aspects of my project as well. The symposia on regulations and outbreaks
were the highlights of this meeting for me. Having Dr. Whitney by my side as I learned about
outbreak investigations and policies was truly the best thing that I could have asked for.
I came home from Toronto with not just a new perspective on a career in food safety
but also with connections and memories, and for this, I am grateful to the IAFP Foundation for having given me this
opportunity and to the Selection Committee for considering me to be worthy of this honor. I would also like to thank
Dr. Abani Pradhan, my advisor at the University of Maryland, for supporting my application and encouraging me to
do my best always. Also, a huge shout-out to Susan Smith, Tamara Ford, and Wendy White for all their support and
encouragement. It was truly an honor to have met them all. I wholeheartedly encourage students interested in a career
in the food sciences and food safety fields to apply for the travel scholarship and take advantage of this enriching
experience. As I write this, I realize how much I am looking forward to IAFP 2024 in Long Beach!
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526 Food Protection Trends November/December

Food Protection Trends - November/December 2023

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