Orla Kennedy Reports Why She Joined IFST

Well stuck in a beautiful scenic outpost at the University of Ulster on the North Coast of Ireland, I was interested to find out what was happening in food science on the mainland and indeed the outside world. I had a poultry PhD combined both nutrition and food science, and had followed undergraduate and master degrees in nutrition and food science. I joined the IFST when I was a student back at the University of Ulster, became a Member and now am a Fellow of the IFST.

Since becoming a Fellow, arriving at Reading, and wearing my then new hat of course director of BSc Nutrition and Food Science (which we successfully launched in 2005), I thought it was important to become more actively involved in the IFST, as I was already a member of the Nutrition Society Council. Currently I sit on the IFST Membership Committee and the Education Committee, and have also sat on the Communications Taskforce.

Being involved has been really interesting, getting to put names to faces, that all important networking, but also finding out what's happening on the national and international food science front across government, industry and academia. All of which I can feed back to our teaching and research in Reading, helping us keep the next generation of Food Scientists up-to-date.

Recently through the Education Committee, I was involved in talks about the IFST's presence at March's BIG Bang Fair- which has given me an insight to the workings of not only ours but other institutes. Through the Membership Committee, I assess applications as they come through and it's nice to see those that I have taught and worked with, enter the profession and progress through it – even if it does make me feel old at times! To keep the IFST active and vibrant, we need a continued supply of new blood – all ages and stages wanted – what's stopping you getting more involved?

Click for more information about joining IFST and becoming involved.