Details of the PhD Studentship Positions in Food Science at University College Cork, Ireland

Position Summary

The studentship comprises an annual stipend for four years, in addition to fees at the EU level (approximately €6,000 per year). The current studentship is €20,000 per annum.  Non-EU candidates may apply, but they will have to cover extra fees themselves.

The project is funded for 48 months, with a start date of October 2022. The language of the laboratory is English.

The student will be registered in the College of Science Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Ireland. Also, the student will be primarily based at UCC in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences. The student may conduct some of their research in other laboratories at various stages of the studentship.

Principal Investigator Team: Prof Elke, K. Arendt (UCC)

Project Title: Gap resolution in safety, nutritional, allergenicity and environmental assessments to promote alternative protein utilization and the dietary Shift (GIANT LEAPS)

 

Project summary

Accelerating the transition from animal-based to alternative dietary proteins – the dietary shift – is key to reducing the footprint of our food system in terms of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), energy, water and land use, and other relevant environmental impacts, and for improving the health and well-being of people, animals and the planet. GIANT LEAPS delivers the strategic innovations, methodologies, and open-access datasets to speed up this dietary shift, in line with the Farm-to-Fork strategy and contributing to the Green Deal targets of reaching climate neutrality by 2050.

Achieving the dietary shift in practice is inherently complex due to the diverse set of actors involved and further hindered by major knowledge gaps, scattered across the various alternative protein sources and the domains of health (safety, allergenicity and digestibility), environment (GHGs and other environmental and climate impacts, biodiversity, circularity), and/or barriers to adoption (technological, sensory, and consumer acceptance).

The GIANT LEAPS consortium consists of the key actors and spans all expertise to address relevant knowledge gaps and proactively engages to arrive at optimized future diets based on alternative proteins that are broadly accepted across stakeholder groups. In order to deliver required insights for short, mid- and long-term decision making and impact, GIANT LEAPS protein sources have been selected for either targeted or full assessment based on their current level of specification.

The innovations and improved methods combined with accessible and comprehensive information, generated for a wide collection of alternative proteins, will enable policymakers to prioritise changes in the food system towards the dietary shift based on the desired impact, value chain actors to make strategic scientific, business and investment choices, and the general public to make more sustainable and healthy dietary choices.

 

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct a specified program of research under the supervision and direction of the Principal Investigators
• Work with other partners/collaborators in achieving the research goals
• Participate in the dissemination of the results of the research (oral and written) in which you are engaged, as directed by the Principal Investigators
• Contribute and produce high-quality peer-reviewed publications and other outputs
• Present research progress and project outcomes at project meetings and relevant conferences

 

Selection Criteria

• BSc, MSc degree in food chemistry, food engineering, food technology, food chemistry, biochemistry, and biotechnology experience
• Highly motivated individual with a keen interest in food research
• Keen interest in working on industry-relevant research and gaining transferable skills
• Have excellent laboratory skills, organizational and communication skills, report writing, and data analysis
• An ability to work independently to a tight schedule to deliver the milestones and deliverables as set out in the project proposal
• Have the ability to work effectively as part of a team to achieve results within the time frame of the project

For informal enquries on these studentships please contact Dr. Emanuele Zannini at [email protected]. Please cite ‘GIANT LEAPS 2022’ in the subject line of your email.