A Family Legacy of IFT Leadership

My history with IFT stretches back further than that of most students. At seven years old, I attended my first IFT function, the awards ceremony at the annual event. During that ceremony, my father, Jonathan Merkle (pictured above left), became an IFT Fellow, one of the highest honors bestowed by IFT for significant contributions to the field of food science. As a child, I did not fully understand what it meant (nor did I appreciate how long the ceremony was), but I did understand that my father was being honored for his work.

Because of my father’s work, food science was always a part of life for me. Food scientist was up there with doctor, lawyer, and architect in terms of what career I might choose to pursue someday. We often visited the research and development center at Michael Foods, where my father serves as vice president of research, development, and innovation and chief science officer, to see Dad and his team at work. And, of course, sample products would sometimes find their way to our home.

At home, food and science was a way of life. The center of our home was the kitchen, and curiosity about the world was nurtured through experimentation, such as creating new cookie recipes. By the time I began considering food science as a career when I was a junior in high school, I had been steeped in food and science for years. But I still knew little more about IFT than I had at seven years old.

Having set my sights on studying food science, I found a good program and set off to become a food scientist. During my first year of university, I joined IFT and the local IFT Student Association (IFTSA) chapter and started taking a couple of food science classes. It seemed like a fit. The next summer, I was able to intern in research and development. And that was an even better fit. I had fallen in love with food science and knew it was the path for me to follow. That same summer, I attended IFT FIRST—12 years after I first sat in the dark auditorium at the awards ceremony.

Finding Inspiration at FIRST

When the expo floor opened Monday morning, my father walked beside me as I experienced the breadth of IFT for the first time. It was exciting, novel, and overwhelming all at the same time. Throughout my first experience at FIRST, the student lounge provided a respite from the chaos of the floor and the crowds of people. It was there that I met the student leaders who inspired me to get involved and when I started to learn about my father’s involvement in IFTSA.

Some years earlier, I had noticed a gavel in our dining room buffet, one that had been presented to my father by IFTSA when he was a student. Upon asking, I learned that my father had been the IFTSA president. After meeting the IFTSA president at FIRST, I saw the role—and my father—through a whole new lens.

Leading the student association is a massive responsibility, not one to be undertaken lightly, as the president sets the agenda for the international community of students that make up IFTSA. My father, when only a little older than I am now, had led this community through the challenge of introducing IFTSA to the internet, no less.

I had always known my father to be hardworking and dedicated to excellence in all he did, but I had never known how far that extended beyond his work, where he has led a growing research and development team for many years. Attending IFT FIRST, I caught a glimpse of the impact he had on the student association and the organization and the ways in which he served and led throughout his student and professional career.

A Commitment to Service

My father’s passion and attitude of service has inspired me and challenged how I thought about leadership opportunities. Leadership is about service, about supporting fellow students and scientists to reach their goals and dreams. Over my years with IFTSA, I have had the opportunity to serve as a chapter leader, a product development team captain, a competition chair, and a participant in multiple competitions. These experiences have molded me as a leader and taught me to consider how I can give back through serving. As I step into the role of IFTSA president-elect, I hope to bring the same passion for excellence and drive to serve the students of the organization as my father did. I look forward to advancing the mission of IFTSA alongside the next generation of food scientists.

Looking to get more involved in the food science community?

IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo, July 12–15, offers students and early-career professionals opportunities to network, explore career paths, and engage with leaders across the field. Register now.