ESR1, Alberto Zavarise
My name is Alberto Zavarise, a 28-year-old guy from a small town in the north-east of Italy with a hobby for photography and also a little bit for science. After completing my bachelor studies in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies at the Ca’ Foscari university of Venice, I decided to broaden my horizons by moving to Sweden for my master studies. At the end of June 2020, I graduated from Uppsala university with a master’s degree in Biochemistry, with a thesis focused on the characterization of the catalysis mechanism of an iron dependent alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme. During the 6 months period of my thesis, I found myself pretty intrigued on how enzymes play a big role on the everyone’s everyday life and how they find a use case in so many fields (pharmaceutical synthesis to the food industry, just to name a couple), so I set my goal to dig deeper into the black hole that is the enzyme catalysis field. After a picky job search, I managed to land a really appealing PhD position at the Technical University of Vienna, where I am currently working on the identification and characterization of enzymes responsible for low colour stability of fruit juices and nectars.
I feel really blessed to have the chance of working on something I am really passionate about and that will also help me increase both my knowledge in enzyme characterization and my repertoire of analysis techniques. Furthermore, something that is often glossed over, but that I really value, is the opportunity to work in an international environment and therefore to be able to compare one's way of thinking with that of people from different fields. I find this passage critical to increase my researcher’s identity and my critical thinking. I am sure that this position will give me this opportunity as it is a perfect mix of international partners from both academia and industry.
Mi sento davvero fortunato di aver la possibilità di lavorare su qualcosa che mi appassiona davvero e che mi aiuterà ad ampliare la mia conoscenza nella caratterizzazione di enzimi e il mio repertoire di tecniche di analisi. Inoltre, qualcosa che viene spesso ignorato, ma che io apprezzo davvero, è la possibilità di lavorare in un ambiente internazionale e quindi di poter confrontare il proprio modo di pensare con quello di persone provenienti da ambiti diversi. Questo passaggio lo trovo critico per accrescere la mia identità da ricercatore ed il mio pensiero critico. Sono sicuro che questa posizione me ne darà la possibilità in quanto si tratta di un mix perfetto di partners internazionali provenienti dall’ambito accademico ed industriale.
ESR2, Karen Lacey
My name is Karen Lacey, 29 years old and I am from the green island of Ireland. My passion for food directed me to pursue a career in the food and beverage industry. As far as I can remember I have had the travel bug and I have always been curious about different cultures and in particular the local food culture. During my studies and career opportunities, I have been encouraged to engage in international experiences and develop a global mindset. As the Irish saying goes “An té a bhíónn siúlach, bíonn scéalach” translating to “he who travels has stories to tell”.
I hold a University Double MSc. Degree in Food Innovation and Product Design with a major in Food Process Engineering from AgroParisTech and a BSc in Food and Nutrition from Ulster University. My career goal is to combine my knowledge in food and nutrition with skills in food processing to produce foods that fit better in a healthy diet and simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ultimately working towards a more sustainable foods chain.
I have experience as a Project Leader with a passion and broad understanding of product and process innovation, in the field of Plant-Based beverages using existing and emerging technologies. I was previously employed at one of the world’s leading Food and Beverage companies and I have had the opportunity to participate in various international research projects enabling me to build strong relationships with research institutes and suppliers of industrial food processing equipment. Based on my professional and my academic experience in food process engineering, I believe I can be an asset to the HiStabJuice project. I strongly believe that the integrating of emerging technologies can improve the quality of products while making the whole process more sustainable.
I am delighted to have joined the European intersectoral project HiStabJuice. This unique opportunity will enable me to build a strong network of academic and industrial organisations across Europe. Upon completion of my PhD project, I hope to gain the skills and knowledge required to become a specialist in the field of fruit and vegetable juice processing. Specifically, with a strong understanding of the available processing technologies on the stability of colour and nutrients in various juices. Finally, the opportunity to learn another language will allow me to increase my career prospects.
ESR3, Ibrahim Rabeeah
My name is Ibrahim Rabeeah, and I am from Baghdad, Iraq. I got my B.Pharm from College of Pharmacy, Al_Mustansirya University and obtained my Masters’ degree in Biochemistry from Uppsala University, Sweden, focusing on Protein kinetic study. Currently I am working at Vienna University of Technology, on characterization of raw material for juice and nectar production and changes in enzyme activities focusing mainly on enzymes affecting colour stability like polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, ascorbate oxidase and β-Glucosidase. I am excited to see where my research will lead me and what new skills and knowledge I will learn on the way.
It is an amazing opportunity which will allow me to learn and enhance my skills and knowledge in the biochemistry research field. Not to mention to get involved in new cultures and learn new perspectives as I travel around Europe. I am excited to see the result of everyone work in this collaborative project as I am sure it will have an amazing impact on the food industry.
اسمي إبراهيم ربيعه، من العاصمة بغداد في العراق. أكملت دراسة البكالوريوس في الصيدلة من كلية الصيدلة, الجامعة المستنصرية والماجستير في الكيمياء الحياتية من جامعة اوبسالا في السويد،. حيث كان التركيز أثناء الدراسة على فعالية الأنزيمات. في الوقت الحالي انا ادرس في جامعة فيينا للتكنولوجيا في النمسا، حيث اعمل على تحليل التغيرات في الانزيمات المؤثرة على ثبات لون النباتات في المواد الخام و العصائر و الرحيق. مثال على هذه الانزيمات : البوليفينول اوكسيديز و البيروكسيديز و الاسكوربيت أوكسيديز و البيتا كلوكوسيديز.
انا متحمس لمعرفة نتائج البحث و كسب الخبرات و المهارات خلال فترة الدراسة.
ESR4, Krystina Simkova
My name is Kristyna Simkova and I am ESR4. I am from Czech Republic. I got my bachelor’s and master’s degree in Food technology at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague. After my studies, I have undertaken internships in Poland and Switzerland. During my studies and internships, I have worked with different types of products and after my last internship I decided to start a PhD. This position caught my interest as I would have a chance to work with another type of product – fruits. The goal of my PhD work is to study the selected nutrients in strawberries and influence of the freezing process on these nutrients.
I am very thankful to join the HiStabJuice network which allows me to further broaden my knowledge within the field of food science and gain a deeper understanding of the juice production. I am happy I get to work with people from different countries who can share with me their knowledge and experience. I believe this experience can help me with my future professional development.
Jmenuji se Kristyna Šimková. Jsem z Česka a pracuji na pozici ESR4. Absolvovala jsem bakalářské a magisterské studium v oboru technologie potravin na VŠCHT v Praze. Po dokončení studia jsem absolvovala stáže v Polsku and ve Švýcarsku. Během studia and stáží jsem studovala různé typy potravinářských výrobků a po ukončení mé poslední stáže jsem se rozhodla začít doktorandské studium. Tato pozice mě zaujala, protože se mohu zabývat dalším typem produktu – ovocem. Cílem mé doktorandské práce je studium vybraných živin v jahodách a vliv zmrazování na tyto živiny.
ESR5, Helen Murray
My name is Helen Murray. I completed my Integrated Masters of Chemistry at Durham University (2010-2014) with my masters project focused on synthesis and characterisation of oliogsaccharides. After University I entered the food manufacturing industry, working for 2 different Flavour Houses in the UK. Working first in Process Control and then Research and Development, with a focus on distillation of Citrus Essential oils, and Herb and Spice extracts. In my roles I gained experience of NPD, Process Development and Production Support.
Getting selected for the project means a lot to me because having gone into industry I had previously thought I would never again have the opportunity to undertake a PhD. I hope to develop my research skills, and look forward to working on a large multinational project. Having previously worked closely with the beverage industry I hope to further develop knowledge within the juice industry. I hope that I will develop my skills with project management, teamwork and research.
ESR6, Darío Pavón Vargas
My name is Dario Pavon, I am an Ecuadorian engineer graduated in industrial engineering, I have worked in R&D of juices and nectars, I did a master’s in food technology at KU Leuven university in Belgium. I was working as a teacher in my country in the areas of heat and fluid transfer. I am currently working as an ESR at CFT, establishing a strong and lasting international training network for innovation in food and juice industries: a 4D-research research approach for fruit juice processing.
I am thankful to participate in this project. I will be able to travel to Europe to do my doctorate, as an ESR I will be able to work together with a company, in CFT, and the academy with the University of Parma so I can experience both fields and benefit from the knowledge them. Being an international and varied project, I will have the opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds and from all over the world, travel, and train myself to grow personally and professionally.
Mi nombre es Darío Pavón, soy un ingeniero ecuatoriano graduado en ingeniería industrial, he trabajado en investigación y desarrollo de jugos y néctares, realicé un master en tecnología de alimentos en Bélgica en la universidad de KU Leuven. Estuve trabajando como profesor en mí país en las áreas de transferencia de calor y fluidos. Actualmente me encuentro trabajando como ESR en CFT, estableciendo una red de capacitación internacional sólida y duradera para la innovación en las industrias de alimentos y jugos.
ESR7, Alema Puzović
My name is Alema Puzović. As a student of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Sarajevo, from 2015 to 2019, I attended the undergraduate study of Economics of Agriculture and Food Industry. In October 2019, I defended my bachelor thesis entitled "Business models of urban agriculture in Bosnia and Herzegovina", which represents one of the first researches in Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted on the topic of urban agriculture, and thus obtained the title of Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences. After that, I decided to be ambitious and combine my passion for food production and urban agriculture with economics and management, so I enrolled in two master's programs simultaneously, one of which being the same as my undergraduate study - Economics of Agriculture and Food Industry, and the other is Urban Agriculture, thanks to which I became a member of the first generation of the latter master's program.
I was very delighted to find this opportunity for studying at the abroad university since it represents a great opportunity to get in touch with other educational systems and cultures, which is something I am very passionate about. Also, this position as an early stage researcher would not only allow me to deepen my knowledge I have obtained in food production related topics, but also ensure further development of my research skills and amplify educational possibilities, which is whz getting selected for the project means a lot to me.
Moje ime je Alema Puzović. Kao student Poljoprivredno-prehrambenog fakulteta Univerziteta u Sarajevu, od 2015. do 2019. godine pohađala sam dodiplomski studij Ekonomika poljoprivrede i prehrambene industrije. U oktobru 2019. godine odbranila sam diplomski rad pod nazivom „Poslovni modeli urbane poljoprivrede u Bosni i Hercegovini“, koji predstavlja jedno od prvih istraživanja u Bosni i Hercegovini sprovedenih na temu urbane poljoprivrede, i time stekla zvanje diplomirani inženjer poljoprivrednih nauka. Nakon toga, odlučila sam da budem ambiciozna i da svoju strast prema proizvodnji hrane i urbanoj poljoprivredi spojim sa ekonomijom i menadžmentom, stoga sam upisala dva master programa istovremeno, od kojih je jedan isti kao i moj dodiplomski studij - Ekonomika poljoprivrede i prehrambene industrije, a drugi je Urbana poljoprivreda, zahvaljujući čemu sam postala član prve generacije potonjeg master programa.
Veoma sam oduševljena što sam pronašla ovu priliku za studiranje na univerzitetu u inostranstvu jer predstavlja sjajnu priliku da stupim u kontakt sa drugim obrazovnim sistemima i kulturama, što je nešto oko čega sam veoma strastvena. Također, ova pozicija istraživača u ranoj fazi ne samo da bi mi omogućila da produbim svoje znanje koje sam stekla vezano za proizvodnju hrane, već bi omogućila dalji razvoj mojih istraživačkih vještina i proširila obrazovne mogućnosti, što je za mene od veoma velikog značaja.
ESR8, Andrés Moreno Barreto
I am Andres Moreno, born in Colombia were I completed mi Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering, and focused in food processing. I obtained a Master’s degree in Food Sciences and Nutrition from AgroParisTech in France and another in Culinary Innovation from Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) in Ireland, both focused in food engineering, product development and food science. I am currently enrolled in a PhD in Industrial Engineering at University of Parma in Italy, based in SSICA (Experimental Station for the Food Preservation Industry – Research Foundation). I am evaluating the effect of High Pressure Processing (HPP) in the quality parameters (Microbial, enzymatic, organoleptic and nutritional) of fruit juices with high sensibility to color degradation, compared to traditional and other alternative preservation technologies.
HiStabJuice represents for me an opportunity to connect with many interesting people, at a global scale, sharing research ideas and professional experiences. In addition, this project gives me the chance to interact not only with universities but also with industries, making this PhD program an interesting connection to create applied research that actually will be consider for products already existing in the market or even new developments.
Mi nombre es Andres Moreno, nacido en Colombia, donde obtuve mi título académico como Ingeniero Químico, con énfasis en el procesamiento de alimentos. Obtuve un título de maestría en Nutrición y Ciencia de Alimentos en AgroParisTech en Francia y otro en Innovación Culinaria en la Universidad Tecnológica de Dublín (TU Dublin) en Irlanda; ambos orientados a la ingeniería y ciencia de alimentos y diseño de productos. Actualmente, hago parte del doctorado en Ingeniería Industrial en la Universidad de Parma en Italia, en SSICA (Estación Experimental para la Industria de Preservación de Alimentos – Fundación de Investigación) como institución de acogida. Estoy encargado de evaluar el efecto de la tecnología de alta presión (HPP) en los parámetros de calidad (microbiológicos, enzimáticos, organolépticos y nutricionales) de jugos de fruta que presentan una alta sensibilidad a la degradación de color; esto comparado con tecnologías de conservación tanto tradicionales como alternativas.
ESR9, Astrid Gedas
My name is Astrid Gędas and I'm from Poland. At the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, I obtained my Bachelor's and Master's degree in Biotechnology. My thesis focused on the formation and inactivation of bacterial biofilm on the materials used in the food industry. During my studies, I gained knowledge in the field of molecular biology and microbiology, which I can now use and further develop my skills during this project. I am currently working as a PhD student at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, doing research on the inactivation mechanisms of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria in fruit juices by conventional and non-thermal treatments. This project gives me a chance for professional development on many levels and meeting amazing people.
Participation in the HiStabJuice project is a great opportunity to expand knowledge in the field of food microbiology and develop soft skills. I have the chance to meet people from all over the world, get to know other cultures and improve my language skills. I have the opportunity to create a professional network and gain valuable experience of working in an international research group.
Nazywam się Astrid Gędas i pochodzę z Polski. Na Uniwersytecie Warmińsko-Mazurskim w Olsztynie ukończyłam studia inżynierskie oraz magisterskie na kierunku Biotechnologia. Moja pracy magisterska była skupiona na powstawaniu i inaktywacji biofilmu bakteryjnego na materiałach użytkowanych w przemyśle spożywczym. Podczas studiów zdobyłam wiedzę z zakresu biologii molekularnej jak i mikrobiologii, co mogę teraz wykorzystać i dalej rozwijać swoje umiejętności w trakcie tego projektu. Obecnie pracuje jako doktorantka na Uniwersytecie Hohenheim w Stuttgarcie, robiąc badania w zakresie mechanizmów inaktywacji bakterii patogennych w sokach owocowych z zastosowaniem konwencjonalnych i nietermicznych metod. Ten projekt daje mi szansę rozwoju zawodowego na wielu płaszczyznach oraz poznania niesamowitych ludzi.
ESR10, Hassan Zia
My name is Hassan Zia. I hail from a small town called Wah Cantt in outskirts of Northern Pakistan. I left Pakistan when I had just turned 18 so to pursue my tertiary education abroad. Since then, I have been to multiple places for education purposes: Cyprus, Turkey, Switzerland, and Germany. I graduated from Bachelor of Science program in Food Engineering and Minor in Industrial Engineering, class of 2018, from Middle East Technical University, Turkey. I went on to pursue my master’s study at the prestigious ETH Zürich, Switzerland, in Food Science and Quality program, class of 2020. I had one-of-a-kind opportunity to conduct my master thesis project in the Nestle Dairy Research Institute, Switzerland. I worked on biotechnological production of dairy flavor inducing lactones to improve flavor profile for dairy alternatives offered by Nestle. I am now conducting my PhD research at GfL Gesellschaft für Lebensmittel-Forschung mbH, Germany under the umbrella of HiStab Juice Horizon 2020 research project. My research focuses on the use of state-of-the-art instrumental analysis techniques to study the effect of thermal and non-thermal processing on vitamins in fruits juices. It is highly rewarding and exhilarating experience to be a part of a dynamic research program with an intensive involvement of several industry partners.
It has been an exhilarating experience to be a part of such a dynamic research network. You have access to state-of-the-art facilities and get to network with experts from all around the world with vital input from several industrial partners. With workshops, seminars and several networking opportunities that will be made available to the researchers, I am excited to embark on this amazing journey that will facilitate in honing skills that will help in my career life in the future.
میرا نام حسن ضیا ہے۔ میں شمالی پاکستان کے مضافاتی قصبے، واہ کینٹ سے تعلق رکھتا ہوں۔ اٹھارہ سال کی عمر میں اعلی تعلیم کے حصول کے لیئے بیرونی ممالک کا رخ کیا۔ اس دوران مجھے متعڈ جگہوں جیسے کح قبرص، ترکی، سوئٹزرلینڈ، اور جرمنی میں تعلیم حاصل کرنے کا موقع ملا۔ ۲۰۱۸ میں ترکی ایک نامور یونیورسیتی سے بیچلرز کی ڈگری حاصل کی۔ ماسٹرز کی ڈگری کے لئے سویٹزرلینڈ کے ایک انتہائی مشہور ادارے میں ۲۰۲۰ تک زیر تعلیم رہا۔ وہاں مجھے ایک منفرد ریسرچ ادارے سے اپنی ماسٹرز ٹھیسیس مکمل کرنے کا موقع میلاـ ابھی میں جرمنی میں پی ایچ دی شورع کر چکا حوںـ میں ایک صنعتی ادارے کے ساتھ منسلک حوںـ یے پروجیکٹ میرے لیے انتحای منفرد موقع حے کیوں کے اس میں دسں مختلف صنعتی ادارے بھی شامل حےـ اس پروجیکٹ میں مجھےمختلف ممالک کے ریسرچ اداروں میں کام کرنے کا موقع میلے گا اور نعی جیذیں سیحکنے کا موقع میلے گاـ
ESR11, Sebastian Rincon
I am Sebastian Rincon, Colombian Chemical Engineer for the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and MSc in Food Technology from KU Leuven and Gent University. HiStabJuice project has been the most challenging and amazing experience for every aspect of my life. Regarding my personal growth, I have been able to be involved in a completely new work and living culture in France, living by myself in a small but cultural town and learning French from zero. In terms of professional development, there are not enough words to describe how great this experience has been, in order to start the first steps towards my dreams of being a full-time researcher in Europe. In summary, working with experts and young researchers in the HiStabJuice project has opened my eyes to the future of food science and all the efforts and teams that are behind.
HiStabJuice project has been the most challenging and amazing experience for every aspect of my life. Regarding my personal growth, I have been able to be involved in a completely new work and living culture in France, living by myself in a small but cultural town and learning French from zero. In terms of professional development, there are not enough words to describe how great this experience has been, in order to start the first steps towards my dreams of being a full-time researcher in Europe. In summary, working with experts and young researchers in the HiStabJuice project has opened my eyes to the future of food science and all the efforts and teams that are behind.
Soy Sebastián Rincón, Ingeniero químico Colombiano de la Universidad nacional de Colombia y MSc en Tecnología de Alimentos de la Universidad católica de Leuven y la Universidad de Gent en Bélgica. Ser parte del proyecto HiStabJuice ha hecho de mi segunda experiencia en Europa, la más retadora y llena de aprendizaje. Espero con ansias todo lo que podrá traer el trabajar con este talentoso grupo de personas y profesionales. Estoy seguro que las dimensiones del proyecto exceden mi opinión y que esto traerá para todos mis colegas resultados más grandes de lo que pudimos pensar. Por último, debo decir que trabajar haciendo ciencia ha sido justo lo que imagine, gracias HistabJuice.