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Over 40 GCSE science pupils with their thoughts on a career in the food industry will be put through their culinary paces — and have the chance to quiz the Chief Executive of one of the UK’s leading supermarkets — during a residential three day summer school at The University of Nottingham this week.
As well as discovering how sensitive their noses can be, how good their taste buds are and finding out how one of our super foods is made, the 43 prospective food scientists will also attend the Lord Haskins’ endowed lecture which this year is being given by Justin King CBE — the Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s.
Justin King — who has held senior positions at Marks and Spencer, ASDA, Pepsi-Cola International and Mars during his distinguished career in the food industry — will be talking to the year 11’s about the wide variety of opportunities available in the food industry — now the UK’s largest manufacturing sector providing 3.6 million jobs. He will also be telling them about the benefits the sector brings to the UK economy as well as the challenges it faces in years to come.
The three day action packed summer school, organised by the Division of Food Sciences in the School of Biosciences, aims to show GCSE students how science is used to ensure the supply of safe, nutritious and tasty food and to help them find out what it would be like to work in the food industry and to study food sciences at university.
Dr Judith Wayte, from the School of Biosciences, said: “The food industry needs high quality scientists to help it tackle the challenges that we all see in the news everyday; feeding an ever growing and ageing population; tackling obesity; ensuring food is tasty, nutritious and safe to eat; while looking after the environment. These challenges make the manufacture of food an exciting, innovative and highly rewarding career.”
Justin King, Sainsbury’s Chief Executive, said: “The UK food industry is a world leader and the next generation of food scientists will be vital to its continued success. I look forward to meeting the students and I hope that my talk will help inspire them to take up a career in what is one of the most valuable and rewarding sectors to work in.”
Sponsored by some of the leading organisations in the food industry this summer school also gives GCSE pupils the opportunity to experience living and learning on campus.
This year's summer school runs from Wednesday June 29 to Friday July 1. It is free of charge and has been sponsored by the IGD’s Technical Leadership Forum, Asda, Bakkavor, The Chilled Food Association, The Co-operative Group, Dairy Crest, Marks & Spencer, McCain, Morrisons, Northern Foods, PepsiCo, Sainsbury, Samworth Brothers, Tesco, United Biscuits, Waitrose and Witwood.
Justin King’s lecture starts at 6pm and takes place in Room A33 in the Food Sciences Building, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire LE12 5RD.
To find out more go to:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/biosciences/divisions/food/summerschool/index.aspx
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘Europe’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, a league table of the world’s most environmentally-friendly higher education institutions, which ranked Nottingham second in the world overall.
The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 40,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.
The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.
More news from the University at:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/news