Melisa Kupaza was awarded Volunteer of the Week as she recently volunteered to Chair a working group to look at setting up a new student group for IFST. She's also a member of our Education and Careers Committee. For more information about the student working group, please contact Erin Taylor.
How does it feel to be recognised as Volunteer of the week?
I feel honoured to be recognised for doing something I really enjoy.
You’ve recently volunteered to Chair a working group to look at setting up a new student group for IFST. Tell us more
I’m really excited about this group. Although IFST does a lot for students, I feel this group would be a great way to get direct student input and allow students to make decisions which directly affect them. It would also be an opportunity for young student food scientists and technologists from all over the UK to network and build a stronger community for the future. In a nutshell this group would represent the student voice within the IFST and I’m really excited to be a part of it.
Why should students get more involved with IFST?
I genuinely feel that any students who are not members are missing out. IFST has so much to offer and having become a student member I have maximised and taken advantage of all the benefits that are included in the membership. There’s so much on offer from prizes and awards, to the forums which are useful for course related queries, since so many industry experts are members of the IFST. Not only that but IFST is a great networking platform; you can literally interact with anyone who is a member if you choose to. Through becoming more involved and volunteering for the IFST I’ve had amazing experiences such as judging the TeenTech awards, helping out at The Big Bang science fair in London and much more.
You’re actively involved in IFST's Education and Careers Committee. What’s it like to be involved in this?
Well, I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to join this committee in my final year of undergrad. I feel being on this committee has really opened my eyes to all the efforts IFST puts into raising awareness of food courses as well as aiding students in various ways. I particularly like the fact that my opinion is valued amongst all the other committee members and I feel like I represent the student voice on this committee. I have really enjoyed and learnt a great deal by meeting and interacting with all the other members who collectively have vast amounts of knowledge from both academia and the food industry.
