Unveiling the Fusion of Perspectives: French Interns and Local Students Illuminate the World of Food Science and Technology

 A talk was held on Tuesday, 6th June 2023 to provide some insights into the food science and technology area through the experiences shared by our French interns, local food science students, and 2 recent Alumni of the Faculty. The first-year BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology students, second-year, BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology students, and members of the academic staff also attended the talk.

The presentation began with our four French interns, Maelys, Pierre, Sarah, and Julie, from L'institut AgroDijon (formerly AgroSup Dijon) who are on internship at the Faculty of Agriculture for a period of 7 weeks ending 23rd June 2023. 

Under the guidance of Assoc Prof B.Ramasawmy, Dr. H.Neetoo, and Dr. D.Ramful-Baboolall, they have been diligently working on two significant research projects: the SmartBite project and dairy processing under the WP4 DeSIRA project.

During their presentation, they shared their journey as food science students in the "Ingénieur Agroalimentaire" program, shedding light on the unique aspects of their 5-year curriculum. Their experiences as "en alternance" students, balancing employment in the agroindustry and their academic pursuits, were particularly inspiring.

Following the presentation by our French interns, we had the pleasure of hearing from a group of our second-year Food Science and Technology students and two recent graduates, Teddy and Hansley who are currently research assistant at the Faculty of Agriculture. 

In their presentation, they shared personal reflections and experiences within the BSc (Hons) Food Science and Technology program, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship. Their perspectives added a valuable dimension to the event, allowing us to appreciate the diversity of experiences within our own program. Two critical elements discussed were the dissertation and the six-month placement, both of which are essential components of the program. Both speakers emphasized that these elements served to enhance their intellectual capabilities and transferable skills through active engagement in these crucial aspects of the curriculum. Additionally, these components equipped them with practical skills that they wouldn't have gained through purely theoretical study, thereby creating a more comprehensive learning experience.

The presentations were also followed by an interactive question and answer session, where the audience had the opportunity to seek clarification, share insights, and engage in fruitful discussions with both the French interns and local students. 

 We are proud of our French interns and local students who eloquently shared their experiences, showcasing their commitment to the field of food science and technology. We hope that the insights gained during this event will inspire further collaboration, research, and growth within our program.