The Future of Our Profession

As the world’s population grows to an estimated 9.6 billion by the year 2050, more scientists will be needed to address the impact of climate change, water and land scarcity, and urbanization on food safety, nutrition, diet and health, and the sustainability of food supply chains. Thus it is increasingly important that IFT continues to invest in encouraging and developing the next generation of food scientists and technologists.

Development of these future scientists and technologists begins by sparking interest in our profession among the best and brightest students. While fostering their development is vital, the price tag of an education today can be a potential deterrent to any young, promising student. However, Feeding Tomorrow, the foundation of IFT, is rewarding excellence through scholarships to assist in removing barriers for promising students interested in pursuing undergraduate and graduate food science degrees. This year, Feeding Tomorrow will reward the hard work of 64 undergraduate and graduate students with more than $120,000 in scholarship funding, including three new scholarships. Much of the money raised for Feeding Tomorrow’s programs comes from the Annual Fun Run and Walk held every year at the annual event. This year, the race will be held on Monday, July 18, in Chicago’s Burnham Park situated along the Lake Michigan shoreline. I’m looking forward to our members being on their mark and ready to run for our future scientists. If you’re not able to attend this year’s Fun Run, I encourage you to influence the continuation of our work by making a donation to our foundation online at FeedingTomorrow.org.

Once a student chooses an educational path focusing on the science of food, it opens up a new world of exploration and innovation. Our young scientists have the opportunity to join more than 3,000 other students studying food science and technology by becoming a member of the IFT Student Association (IFTSA). As a member of IFTSA, students have access to scholarships, competitions, leadership opportunities, journals and publications, and most importantly, each other. Our student members are truly inspiring and give me incredible hope for the future of our profession.

After graduation, IFT’s support for our new scientists continues by offering a variety of programs and opportunities. Our online Career Center offers networking opportunities, webcasts, and online courses addressing workplace issues, employment trends, technical skills, and more. IFT16 attendees will also have the opportunity to meet recruiters at Career Center Live as well as attend Professional Development sessions that focus on important industry topics such as food science communication to consumers and how to forge your own career path within the food sector. Additionally, our Teaching & Learning sessions designed for academics will focus on ways to keep students engaged in the classroom, how to teach students about controversial topics in food science and technology, and best practices for using effective teaching tools.

We also encourage all of our students and new professionals to consider leadership opportunities within IFT. One of the ways IFT supports the development of our future leaders is through the Emerging Leaders Network, formerly referred to as Lead 360. Now in its fourth year, this network has been significantly revamped to merge the best of the Lead 360 program with new elements that will help our participants successfully navigate their careers. Some of these include conflict management skills, collaborative case study work, personal access to IFT leadership, and mentoring activities.

In addition, we encourage these groups to consider using their scientific skills to educate the public. Communicating the complexity of the science of food to consumers requires special skills and abilities. Thus last year we launched our Food Communicators Workshop as a specialized learning opportunity in effective ways of communicating science to a variety of audiences. The 10 students and new professionals from last year’s course have remained a close-knit group and have worked together to create the Don’t Eat the Pseudoscience Facebook page, an online group that seeks to make food easier to understand for everyone in a fun, personable, and relatable manner. This year’s workshop promises to be another success, and we are looking forward to training a further group of science communicators.

Whether it’s through monetary donations to help with educational expenses or providing a strong network of support through our student association, new professionals’ opportunities, emerging leaders, or mentorship, the development of our future food scientists and technologists will ensure the continued success of our profession. I urge you to donate, mentor, and encourage these groups and pass on our legacies to the next generation of those who will help meet future societal needs in feeding an ever changing world.

Colin Dennis, CBE, PhD, CFS, CSci
IFT President, 2015–2016
Chairman, IFIS Ltd., Reading, United Kingdom
[email protected]