Food Protection Trends - November/December 2019 - 499

Our Experiences (continued)

As a Ph.D. candidate in the final stages of my graduate training, IAFP 2019 in the beautiful city of
Louisville, Kentucky was such an enriching experience. Every time I attend conferences, I'm always looking
to gain new insight and expand my network, and this year's meeting exceeded my expectations. I'm sincerely grateful to the IAFP Foundation for the travel scholarship that made this possible, and to all the hardworking staff, particularly Susan Smith who, in ways big and small, made my trip to Louisville a pleasant one.
I would also like this opportunity to appreciate the Capital Area Food Protection Association (CAFPA),
the local Affiliate for the Washington, D.C. region, for selecting me as their Travel Award recipient - what an
honor! And, on a personal note, it was quite fulfilling to have not only my mother, but also my three-monthold son in the audience as I formally received my Student Travel Scholarship during the Opening Session.
As I walked the halls of the Kentucky International Convention Center, scanning the faces of attendees
and occasionally finding a familiar one, one of my thoughts was the acute awareness that I was part of the
upcoming generation of food safety scientists - a responsibility I must not take lightly. There are standards
to be upheld, big shoes to be filled, major discoveries to be made, and groundbreaking research to be
conducted, all to help fill wide swathes of data gaps, many of which are critical to the advancement of food
safety and public health.
The enriching sessions, the roundtable talks, the presentations - I gobbled them up with enthusiasm
Ruth Oni
and a thirst for more. My dilemma, albeit a positive one, was the challenge of deciding which simultaneous
University of Maryland -
sessions I wanted to attend. The sessions I did attend were all so stimulating that I honestly wished I was
College Park
able to attend every session! Lending a helping hand during the popular Silent Auction in the Exhibit Hall
College Park, Maryland
was a lot of fun, as was the time I spent at the Foundation booth, meeting some of the wonderful
contributors who make travel scholarships like mine possible.
Personally, one of the highlights of the conference was the IAFP-organized Mentor Program that afforded me the opportunity to be
mentored by an accomplished food safety professional during the meeting. Shira Kramer, founder of Sterilex Corporation based in Maryland,
amiably shared perspectives that helped refine my career goals. I also had the pleasure of meeting with Mark Carter, another great mentor
assigned through IAFP. Each person I met left me inspired and with a sense of pride for being a part of this dynamic food safety community.
I have already begun to put their thought-provoking insights to good use.
I left Louisville with a glowing sense of anticipation as I look ahead to my transition into the professional world of food safety. What a
fulfilling ride it will be, knowing that IAFP will remain an important part of that journey!

IAFP 2019 is the best conference I have ever attended, and I am truly honored and privileged to
be a recipient of this year's Student Travel Scholarship. The whole experience was rewarding. I had the
chance to meet food safety professionals and scientists from various fields and interests in the area of
food sciences. I learned much by attending the oral and poster presentations, discussions, and workshops
that exposed me to a wide range of topics in the recent development of understanding and improving food
protection and safety.
My assigned mentor, Dr. Ellen Evans, introduced me to her colleagues during the Welcome Reception
on Saturday afternoon who all made me feel welcome and comfortable. All the IAFP Staff were so friendly
and warm, too.
The Opening Session's Ivan Parkin Lecture, presented by Dr. Barbara Chamberlin, highlighted the
use of media using games, animation, and videos to increase people's awareness regarding food safety -
an especially creative approach and so memorable for me.
There were also many booths to explore in the Exhibit Hall, where I got a chance to visit with people
from various industries, allowing me to see the most recent scientific tools which I might possibly employ
for my project.
There were a lot of interesting technical sessions and presentations running at the same time, and I
Elvina Parlindungan
found
it difficult to choose among them. As a Ph.D. candidate in the area of food microbiology, attending
RMIT University
these
presentations
gave me insight and ideas for designing experiments for current and future projects.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
IAFP 2019 allowed me to build connections - I made friends with fellow doctoral candidates from
various countries. I also met senior scientists from the same university as mine! Meeting with various scientists, those in academia, and other
experts truly inspired me, opening the door to viable opportunities and career options.
I encourage everyone, including fellow students, to attend IAFP's Annual Meeting! It is a life-changing, wonderful experience where
we all can learn much from experts and build connections with scientists and professionals from around the world.

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Food Protection Trends - November/December 2019

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