Four CFS students bring home five awards

By Jennifer Reynolds

 Communication Professional for the Center for Food Safety

Two CFS Students named to CPS Professional Development Program

Two CFS students, master's candidate Riya Hooda and postdoctoral candidate Tongzhou Xu, have been named recipients of the Center for Produce Safety’s 2024 Professional Development Program award. They were two of seven selected for the program that CPS says was designed to provide “young professionals the opportunity to develop and improve engagement, gain insight, knowledge and career skills with the fresh produce safety community.”

“It's a good opportunity for me to learn the gaps between graduate school and professionalism, to understand what skills and knowledge I need to know before starting my career,” Xu said.

Hooda was excited to learn from professionals through the program.

“It is already expanding my perspective on the produce industry, giving me insights into different roles and responsibilities. Additionally, it was a valuable opportunity to acquire professional skills and deepen my understanding of the produce industry by connecting with esteemed professionals” she said.

Both students attended the 2024 Research Symposium in Denver, Colorado, in late June. They learned skills such as creating an elevator pitch, moderating panels, and interviewing industry professionals—all guided by CPS.

The competitive program is open to master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral researchers working with a CPS-funded principal or co-investigator. Hooda's advisor, CFS Assistant Professor Malak Esseili, encouraged her to apply for the award, and Xu's advisor, CFS Associate Professor Xiangyu Deng, encouraged him to do the same.

Hooda and Xu expressed their thanks for the constant support received from their major advisors to go through this program and to Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, executive director of CPS.

IFT Feeding Tomorrow Fund scholarship winner

CFS doctoral student Minji Hur has been named one of this year’s IFT Feeding Tomorrow Fund scholarship winners. She was one of three who won the General Graduate Financial Need Scholarships.

Hur’s research in Listeria in avocados, the application of antimicrobial blue light against foodborne pathogens, her extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and overall work experience were considered in her application. She was awarded $3,000, which she intends to use to travel to scientific conferences later this year.

Hur thanked her advisor, CFS Director Francisco Diez, for his continued support.

“This kind of award would not be possible without faculty support,” Hur said. “He always takes time out of his busy schedule to prioritize his students.”

She also expressed her appreciation for IFT and sponsors who help students advance their research and food science careers.

Dr. Ronald H. Schmidt Student Travel Award

Hur is also one of two CFS students to receive this year’s Dr. Ronald H. Schmidt Student Travel Award. She is joined by doctoral student Amrit Pal.

Sponsored by 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc., the company’s website says, “The award helps motivated, career-oriented students attend and participate in the 2024 Summit on Hygienic Design: Advancing Product Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability,” which was held in Chicago in May.

Pal chose to apply for the award because of the topics offered at the conference. He said that the dual focus on hygienic designs and dairy was a perfect fit for his interests. He would like to study how to improve the design of dairy processing facilities to reduce biofilms.

Pal is grateful to his advisor, CFS Professor Henk den Bakker, and Department of Food Science and Technology Professor Rakesh Singh, who first informed him of the scholarship and provided him with a letter of recommendation.