An Interview with Liz Dumas, Ph.D., Food Scientist
Have you always loved science?
LD: I have always loved science.
How do you leverage science in your position?
LD: Science is my best friend every single day. It helps me understand the food components we receive and allows me to provide technical guidance to suppliers when developing new products. Science is also a tool used to measure the performance and quality of our products in a fast-paced environment. Our customers trust our process and our products because of it.
Is it fun?
LD: Absolutely! Every day is a different scenario, so you are learning constantly. We work with different ingredients and each of them is unique, so you get to ask many questions!
Did you think as a child that you would pursue the sciences and use them in your job?
LD: Yes. I couldn’t imagine doing something not related to science. To me, science was like a treasure hunt….it was all about the clues.
Were you ever the only female in a class or meeting, and how did you approach that?
LD: Sometimes, but I didn’t let that distract me. I knew were my goals and interests were, so I kept pressing on.
What would you tell a little girl that loves science?
LD: If you like to ask questions, understand how things you normally see work and want to discover or learn new things, science offers many opportunities for us. Women have a lot to learn and a lot to offer to this world. We can make a difference.
