The Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTSA) will host its regional meeting at Iowa State on April 10 and 11 for the first time in five years.

The food science and human nutrition department at Iowa State has invited students and faculty from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin-Madison and North Dakota State.

The two-day event will be filled with tours, meetings, fun activities and time for socializing and networking with professionals and faculty in the food industry.

April 11 will start off with a welcome session before guests will be taken on tour to several different food processing facilities including the Dairy Farm, Burgies coffee roasting facilities and Frontier Natural Products. Iowa State’s SHOP organization will then host a food formulation challenge where students and faculty can learn more about hunger in Iowa and how to get involved with solutions.

A “mix and mingle” social will be held Friday evening where students and faculty can network with other students and faculty from other schools. The line dancing club will provide entertainment during this social and food will be provided through catering services from multiple local restaurants in Ames.

The biggest event of the day will be the college bowl competition, a food science nerd trivia where the winning school will take the traveling plaque with them. After the bowl will be a closing banquet with final send-off and door prizes for the students and faculty.

Our biggest goal is to facilitate student and food industry connections, as well as academia and consumer relations, to help people learn more about food and what they’re eating, and to explore new areas to help all people have safe and bountiful food source,” said Hannah Hansen, graduate student with double undergraduate degrees in food science and chemistry, as well as a committee planner for the IFTSA.

This year the IFTSA is also working to facilitate more networking with students and faculty from other schools and to just come and learn and create connections with professionals.

“Creating those connections is what we’re looking for, and this year we’re seeing a huge increase in student participation with more than 130 signed up for this two-day event,” said Celia Bravard, senior in food science and member of the planning committee for IFTSA. “The goal is to provide students a means to interact with other students and faculty as well as professionals in the food industry.” 

This two-day event is free for all registered students and faculty members due to the generosity of Iowa State’s food science department, as well as many local food companies and restaurants.

“Essentially, this event is about telling others what food science means to ISU and what’s happening in Iowa, to showcase what food science means in Iowa,” Bravard said. “We want to say that food science here is thriving, happening, growing and we’re exciting and we want to share that with them.” 

“My biggest goal [is] to help students learn more about IFTSA and ISU, as I think this is a great opportunity to help them realize what is here and showcase our department as well as future career possibilities,” Hansen said.