Food Protection Trends - November/December 2024 - 466

OUR EXPERIENCES
By the Recipients of the IAFP 2024 Student Travel Scholarship Award
JAKOB GRYNIEWSKI | University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
I am very grateful and want to thank the
IAFP Foundation and everyone involved
for allowing me to attend IAFP 2024
through the Student Travel Scholarship
Award. The international meeting was
everything I hoped it would be and more!
I was able to start the conference by
talking to many student peers with
similar passions in food safety while
getting ready for the Opening Session.
I was able to interact with many of these peers throughout the meeting.
Also through the mentor program, I was able to meet and get to know a
professional in the food safety industry during the Student Lunch which
gave me a new understanding of what a role in industry is compared
to academia. Networking with exhibitors at booths was another way to
meet new people in the field. The Explore the Floor checklist to complete
when talking to certain exhibitors was a great icebreaker to engage
in meaningful conversations to expand my knowledge in more areas
pertaining to food safety.
The content presented at IAFP 2024 piqued my interest. There were numerous
seminars that contained relevant topics to me that were able to help me
grow. The poster sessions were filled with plenty of important and interesting
posters from all areas. Namely, I was pleasantly surprised to see how many
were correlated to my research and background in cold brew coffee.
Overall, I highly recommend any student interested in food safety to
apply for this travel scholarship. The experience you receive from this
conference is like no other and is something I will never forget.
TAHIRAH JOHNSON | University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Maryland
I was honored to receive the International
Association for Food Protection's (IAFP)
Student Travel Scholarship for 2024. As
a doctoral student at the University of
Maryland Eastern Shore, my research
focuses on the prevalence and antibiotic
resistance of Shewanella species in oyster
(Crassostrea virginica) and seawater
samples from the Mid-Atlantic region.
Through whole genome sequencing, my
team hopes to address questions of pathogenicity and the resistance genes
Shewanella species may have. Additionally, my project plans to explore the
efficacy of essential oils as an alternative control method for Shewanella.
The travel scholarship provided invaluable opportunities to network with
government officials and industry leaders, discuss career paths, and share
my research. Over the past year, I have dedicated myself to this project, and
presenting it at the conference was a significant milestone.
Attending various talks on coding, data analytics, antimicrobial resistance,
and food safety policy-making greatly enhanced my professional
development. These sessions were crucial in shaping my post-graduation
plans and expanding my knowledge in areas relevant to my research interests.
I extend my deepest gratitude to the IAFP Foundation. This experience was
truly transformative, and I look forward to future conferences, reconnecting
with peers, and forging new connections in the field of food protection.
HARSIMRAN KAUR KAPOOR | University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
As a recipient of the 2024 Student Travel
Scholarship, I was deeply honored to
attend the IAFP Annual Meeting in
Long Beach, California. The conference,
renowned for its focus on food safety,
provided an enriching experience
filled with learning, networking, and
professional growth. Visiting California
for the first time made the experience
even more extraordinary. Initially, I was a
bit nervous about attending the conference for the first time. However, the
warm welcome I received at the reception and the kindness of the people I
met instantly put me at ease. I was fortunate to have Dr. Alexis Hamilton as
my mentor as part of this travel scholarship, and it was a pleasure meeting
and connecting with her.
I began the conference by attending various PDG meetings on the first
day. It was great to brainstorm ideas for the upcoming year's symposium,
roundtable, and technical session submissions. The Student PDG Meeting
and the Student Lunch were excellent platforms for connecting with
fellow students, providing a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.
Attending the Ivan Parkin Lecture by Dr. Lawrence Goodridge from the
University of Guelph, Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety (CRIFS),
was a highlight. His discussion on current food safety misinformation and
466 Food Protection Trends November/December
disinformation was insightful, emphasizing the importance of collective
efforts to ensure a safer and more informed society through effective
communication of scientific truth.
The conference was also an excellent platform for connecting with
food safety professionals from both academia and industry. Engaging
in meaningful discussions, exchanging ideas, and exploring potential
collaborations for future research were invaluable experiences. These
discussions particularly helped me navigate the path to my future career
after my Ph.D., specifically in choosing between academia and the food
industry. The Exhibit Hall was another highlight, showcasing the latest
technologies, products, and services in the food protection industry.
Interacting with exhibitors and learning about new tools and methodologies
broadened my knowledge and opened my eyes to the practical applications
of research in the industry.
Presenting my Ph.D. research was a tremendous opportunity, and the
insightful feedback I received offered new perspectives and suggestions
to further refine my work. Volunteering at the Foundation Booth was
also a rewarding experience, allowing me to meet and thank many IAFP
contributors who helped graduate students like me attend the conference.
The Annual Meeting was an unforgettable experience that significantly
contributed to my academic and professional development. I am deeply
grateful to IAFP for awarding me this opportunity, and I look forward to
applying the insights gained to my future research endeavors.
Food Protection Trends - November/December 2024

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