Research Experience

Graduate Research Assistant

Plant Protein Innovation Center (PPIC)

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Research & Development Intern

SunOpta Inc

I have always wanted to explore what it's like to be an R&D intern, and SunOpta gave me the opportunity to do so, for which I am truly grateful.

At SunOpta, I was part of the ingredient team, investigating oat stability in oat bases and performing literature and market research on the next best plant-based milk. This experience enabled me to apply my expertise in plant proteins while collaborating with various departments.

I have truly enjoyed my time at SunOpta! During my three months in the office, I connected with individuals from various departments, explored different career paths, and gained a deeper understanding of how R&D operates within a corporate environment.

Plant Protein Innovation Center (PPIC) Short Course Training Session

Plant Protein Innovation Center (PPIC) Research Showcase

Institute of Food Technologies (IFT)

As a graduate research assistant, I educated individuals from various food industries about the sample preparation process and plant protein extraction. I also had the opportunity to present my research findings to audiences from different universities and industries by participating in multiple events hosted by PPIC and IFT.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

University of Minnesota Grain Biopolymer Lab

As an undergraduate research assistant, my main task was to work with graduate students on their research projects. At the same time, I have developed some different laboratory techniques:

To examine the gluten quality of wheat flour.
To quantify phenolic compounds present in wheat flour.
To extract indigestible carbohydrates (FODMAPS) that are present in soybean flour.

University of Minnesota Sensory Center

While working in the Sensory Center, I worked with Sara, a graduate student, on her cheese study. My main task was to prepare different cheese-related samples that could be used to train the panelists for descriptive analysis.

In addition, I helped proofread and prepare questionnaires and category scaling tests for lettuce and steak studies using the Qualtrics survey.

Tools & Skills

Brabender Glutopeak

To measure Glutopeak (GPT) of the wheat flour and analyze the Glutopeak graph to evaluate the strength of gluten in order to determine its usage in baked goods.
Flour can be classified as strong flour or weak flour depending on their gluten content.

Infrared Moisture Analyzer

To obtain a rapid moisture content results (4 minutes) for wheat flour to undergo Glutopeak analysis.

Udy Cyclone Mill

To grind grains into smaller uniform particle sizes that will be used for rapid moisture and GPT analysis.

Qualtrics Survey

To create sensory survey and collect responses from panelists after taste testing the food product.

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