Food Protection Trends - November/December 2021 - 610

Our Experiences (continued)
I would like to thank the IAFP Foundation for providing me the opportunity to attend IAFP
2021. This being the first year I attended the conference in person, I had high expectations on
what the experience would be like. I was really excited about attending sessions and roundtables,
meeting old and new colleagues, as well as networking with other researchers and
industry members. As expected, the conference did not disappoint! I got to listen to and talk with
researchers whom I admire and whose work has had such a deep impact on my own research.
I had the pleasure to meet people with whom I hope I will have the opportunity to keep in
touch with year-round, as well as strengthen our connections in future meetings. And most importantly,
I truly felt like I had finally met my people, with whom discussing methods and results
of all our very specific projects all of a sudden felt completely normal - people who could give
me advice based on their past experience and researchers as passionate about the field and
driven to achieve tangible change as I am.
Another thing I loved about the meeting was that seminars, short presentations, and posters
Marina Girbal
Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
offered all attendees, from well-known researchers to graduate students, the opportunity to
share their work in a platform tailored to their needs.
I loved that every minute of IAFP 2021 was a learning opportunity. Last but not least, this
conference reminded me of why I love science and food safety. Now I know when doubt arises,
when there is a bump in the road, I will always be able to go back to the IAFP Annual Meeting
to remind myself about the immensely rewarding feeling of doing and sharing science, and I am
sure that will give me renewed energy to keep on.
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to attend IAFP 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona through
Sarah L. Jones
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
the Student Travel Scholarship. While I have attended past Annual Meetings, this year was
particularly meaningful to me because I was able to meet my fellow travel scholarship recipients.
After a year of solely virtual meetings, the ability to attend the in-person Annual Meeting was a
distinct pleasure.
IAFP's Annual Meeting continues to serve as a great opportunity and venue to share
research, attend sessions, foster collaborations, meet other students and professionals, and
reunite with food safety friends. Thanks to the Student Travel Scholarship, I attended the Student
PDG networking session, Luncheon, and Mixer, where I met with first-time attendees and new
members. I spoke with other students and early career researchers specializing in areas similar
to my own dissertation research at the University of Arkansas. Moreover, as a scholarship recipient,
my assigned mentor, Dr. Nancy Bontempo, kindly met with me during the meeting, introducing
me to her colleagues and friends while sharing her expertise.
One of my favorite aspects of the Annual Meeting is the diverse set of speakers hailing
from academia, government, and industry. Listening to and discussing food safety topics and
concerns across sectors is invaluable for moving food safety forward. Attending symposia and
roundtables inside and outside of my own area of research was incredibly helpful when reflecting on
how I conduct my own research. I am grateful for these presentations and for the individuals
who invest their time in preparing them.
IAFP is the center for so many opportunities and professional relationships, and I hope to give back to the Association one
day. Many thanks to the IAFP Foundation and the Selection Committee for this opportunity and to the IAFP staff for organizing
the meeting! See you in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2022!
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610 Food Protection Trends November/December

Food Protection Trends - November/December 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - November/December 2021