Welcome to Food Science: Grad Students Introduce High Schoolers at STEM Event

Photo Submitted

Around 60 high school girls from around the state got a taste of food science and other Bumpers College research, labs and potential careers during their visit to campus in February.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Students, professors and staff from the U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Science's recently participated in a STEM event on campus for high school students in February.

Bumpers College's Department of Food Science hosted high school girls participating in the "Girls Just Wan'na Have Fun! STEM Leadership Day at the U of A" event. STEM refers to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Bumpers College offers several majors and programs leading to STEM-related careers, including agricultural systems technology management; animal science; crop science; environmental, soil and water science; food science; horticulture, landscape and turf sciences; human development and family sciences; human nutrition and poultry science.

Around 60 girls in grades nine through 12th from across the state participated in the food science session, which included time focused on research, labs and possible careers.

Angela Tacinelli, a graduate research assistant for assistant professor Jamie Baum, and Asmita Singh and Ragita Pramudya, master's degree students who work with the Sensory Service Center for associate professor Han-Seok Seo, coordinated the sessions.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.