Cardiff Met Secures Two Young Scientist Finalists At Food Industry Competition

Two Cardiff Met Food Science students were successful this week in the regional finals of the Institute of Food Science and Technology’s Young Scientist competition. From hundreds of applications, five undergraduate finalist places were awarded, and two of these were secured by Cardiff Met final year students Mike Cope and Fernando Amaral Da Fonseca. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The IFST Young Scientist Competition invites undergraduate and postgraduate students within the UK to present food-related research projects to a panel of food industry professionals. The Institute of Food Science and Technology is the leading qualifying body for food professionals in Europe and the only professional body in the UK for food science and technology. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For the first time, the IFST hosted the competition in different regions across the UK: the Midlands, North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Initial applications, consisting of 150 word abstracts of their research, were submitted to the IFST head office. A panel of judges reviewed each abstract and from this, a select number of applicants were put forward for each of the regional finals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Midlands final, held on Tuesday 26th April at the University of Nottingham, consisted of student entrants from the University of Nottingham, Cardiff Metropolitan University, University College London, London Metropolitan University, University of Reading, Rothamsted Research and Coventry University. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Out of all of the Midlands entrants, Cardiff Met food science students Mike Cope and Fernando Amaral Da Fonseca secured two of the five undergraduate finalist places. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Food science lecturers, Simon Dawson and Anita Setarehnejad accompanied the students to the regional Midland finals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Simon Dawson said: “This is a huge achievement for both students and for our food science and technology department. There was some stiff competition from some excellent universities. For our students Mike and Fernando to obtain two of the five finalist undergraduate places is something they should be very proud of. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There are excellent career prospects for food industry graduates these days and this experience and success will be a great asset to Mike and Fernando as they embark on their professional careers next year.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​