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Here’s another episode of our graduate student series and this week, we are featuring Audrey Girard, who is doing her PhD at Texas A and M.
Audrey does an amazing job talking about her prior experiences and she had three different internships before deciding to go to graduate school.
Also, she gives awesome book recommendations like Lab Girl and The Man Who Fed the World. These are definenelty on my ever growing book list.
Enjoy another graduate student’s perspective. Do you see a trend so far? Just let me know.
The next four episodes will take you around the world and back again. We are interviewing someone in Europe on Wednesday, someone who traveled from the US to the Netherlands and two people who left their home countries to come to the United States to study what they love. You don’t want to miss these.
If you enjoyed this episode, please, sign up on our email list at myfoodjobrocks.com, like us on facebook, rate and review on itunes, and share with your friends. If you show interest in being interviewed, know someone who would be a great interviewer, or would like to join our team of volunteers, make sure to email us at podcast@myfoodjobrocks.com.
About Audrey
Audrey is a 4th year PhD student in Food Science & Technology at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on the chemistry of cereal grains; specifically, she is working to alter cereal proteins using tannins to enhance and increase the applications for said proteins. Audrey graduated from Kansas State University in 2013 with her BS in Bakery Science & Management. During her undergraduate, Audrey completed three internships in food science and worked part-time in research labs on campus, which helped inform her decision to pursue her PhD. Audrey is a member of AACCI (American Association of Cereal Chemists International) and IFT. Audrey can be found semi-regularly Instagramming (@abiteofscience) and infrequently blogging (abiteofscience.wordpress.com).
Key Takeaways
– How Audrey’s three internships influenced her graduate school studies
– Audrey’s unusual unofficial lab job
– Audrey’s and Mine’s discussion of Holistic Health
Summary of Questions
Best thing about Texas A and M: The tradition
Why did you want to go into graduate school: I liked research and I liked to go further in product development.
Why did you want to get your PhD?: I really liked teaching
Research: how Tannins interact with Gluten
In layman’s term: How we can use gluten in other applications using an antioxidant called tannins
Best hint about the application process: Make sure you have connections
Food Trends and Technology: Science Communication
Biggest Challenge the food industry has to face: Consumer trust
Favorite Book: The Man Who Fed the World – Norman Borlaug
Who inspired you to go into food?: My mom
Advice for Graduate School: Get experience any way you can
Something inspiring: Don’t just go to graduate school because you don’t have a plan: It’s a lot of work
Favorite Quote: Everyone you meet knows something you don’t –Bill Nye, If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it enough – Albert Einstein
Favorite Food: Steak and Potatoes, Medium-Rare, Mashed potatoes, I like Steak Fries
What We Talk About
Slaughterhouse Story
Kellogg’s Internship
Dansico internship
Flowers Foods internship
Grain Science
Emailing professors
Texas A and M
Kansas State
Purdue
Rutgers
Bakery Science
Edible films
Modified Starch
Tortilla Ovens
HPLC
Wheat Mill
Lab Girl-Hope Jarren – Important book
Teaching Assistantships
Research Assistantships
Science Communication
Perceptions of fat
Cowboy beans and rice