When I applied for the Scientific Assistant Intern position at IFST, I was finishing writing my thesis for my PhD at the University of Bath and it was a perfect fit for my expertise and experience at the time, so I was thrilled when I learned that I had been given the opportunity. I started my internship in September 2025, and it was extended beyond the initial 6 month period until August 2026, which I am grateful for as I have been able to get involved in a number of rewarding projects and tasks. I came into this internship with a background in Chemistry and during the internship I was awarded my PhD which focused on sustainable food packaging materials, specifically active packaging. I had also previously carried out a 3-month internship at WRAP within their Food Research Team, looking primarily into food waste data and waste reduction strategies.
My experience at the IFST has been highly rewarding, I have been able to push my knowledge in different areas of food science, gaining a breadth of experience and new contacts which will be helpful in my future career. Throughout my internship I was encouraged to network, attend events and get involved with all areas of the IFST’s work including education and sustainability which provided me with a rounded and full experience. My specific highlights include attending the IFST Autumn Conference in Nottingham in 2025, attending the Scientific Committee meetings throughout the year, publishing an article on Active Packaging in the FS&T magazine, working in collaboration with different Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and working on highly pertinent topics to create scientific documents such as the Ultra Processed Foods Outline. A significant part of my role was to support the production of Science and Technology resources and during my internship the team achieved the publication of the following: 3 new Technical Briefs (Ultra Processed Food Outline, Setting Shelf Life, Unintended Consequences of Food Sustainability Initiatives), 1 Food Science Fact Sheet update (Food Hygiene Rating), 6 Information Statement updates (CBD and cannabinoids, Physical Analysis, Biocides, STEC, Chemical Analysis, Laboratory Analysis) and 2 Toolkit updates (Food Innovation, Food Science and Nutrition).
I would like to thank the whole IFST team and wider members for being so welcoming and supportive. I worked to support Natasha Medhurst (Senior Scientific Affairs Manager) throughout my internship. I would like to extend my gratitude to Natasha for her support and expert guidance which was unwavering. I have developed my knowledge of food science significantly during this internship and I have developed as a person gaining new skills which will help me in the future. I could not recommend this opportunity enough to future students and early career researchers.
Jessica Westlake (PhD), IFST Scientific Intern September 2025 - August 2026