Lead Department
Biological Sciences
Coordinated By
Anna Murphy (Anna.Murphy@mtu.ie)
Active Members
10 - 15
Purpose
The Learning Community for Staff & Students Involved in Nutritional Science aims to create an environment where staff and students can engage in discussions about food and nutrition career opportunities within the Biological Sciences department. It seeks to enhance career guidance, promote postgraduate research opportunities, and increase awareness of career paths in the food and nutrition industries among both current students and secondary school students. Additionally, it aims to foster collaboration between students, industry professionals, and researchers to create a clearer pathway for those pursuing careers in nutrition and food sciences.
Key objectives include:
- Sharing new and innovative food and nutrition research among academic staff to support research-led teaching.
- Strategising ways to promote food and nutrition programmes at secondary school level and guide students in making informed module choices.
- Organising events that:
- Facilitate engagement between the Department of Biological Sciences and industry stakeholders.
- Provide students with information on career opportunities in the food and nutrition sectors.
Summary
- Established in March 2023.
- Hosted a specialised food and nutrition career event, featuring:
- 7 food businesses.
- Nutrition and dietetics professionals (including graduates now working in Mercy Hospital and Atlantia Clinical Trials).
- MTU and Teagasc postgraduate students.
- Approximately 150 students attended, ranging from first to fourth year.
- Regular staff meetings have been held to refine promotional strategies, enhance elective module guidance, and improve student engagement.
- Feedback from students and industry stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive, emphasising the value of direct interactions and networking opportunities provided by the events.
- The Learning Community continues to grow, fostering collaboration among faculty, increasing student engagement, and strengthening connections with industry professionals to support students’ career development in nutrition and food sciences.
Benefits
- For Staff:
- Created an environment for staff to discuss food and nutrition career opportunities.
- Enabled strategic discussions on elective choices and programme promotion at secondary schools.
- Facilitated collaboration on initiatives such as work placement projects and student outreach.
- For Students:
- Enhanced awareness of career paths in the food and nutrition industries.
- Provided clearer guidance on elective module choices for those considering accredited nutrition programmes.
- Encouraged interaction between first-year and fourth-year students
Feedback/Testimonials
- "Just wanted to say thank you for having me back out in MTU today and to showcase the opportunities in our business. It was a pleasure to be back as a past graduate of Nutrition and Health Science and talking to lecturers about my career progression. If you plan to organise another day like today, please reach out as I would love to take part."
- "The careers event was truly beneficial. As a fourth-year student, it really helped open my eyes to what opportunities are out there after college. It gave us the chance to ask questions and gain a better understanding of the roles in which we were interested in. The selection of stands varied greatly. I would highly recommend attending future career events."
Future Plans
- Since its formation, this Learning Community has fostered greater collaboration among food and nutrition lecturing staff.
- Plans for the next academic year:
- Larger career event with expanded industry participation.
- Food and nutrition quiz for secondary school students.
- Development of promotional materials for secondary schools and career guidance teachers.
- Revival of the Nutrition Society for students at the start of the academic year.
