Guest Speakers
The following College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources representatives are available to provide presentations:
Career Jeopardy!
Jill Brown, CASNR Career Specialist
jbrown14@unl.edu or 402-472-8273
Interactive competition matching current jobs with career paths. Students will be given a sheet with various career areas listed on it, and they will have to work together to figure out what career path a particular job fits into based on the description verbally provided.
Examples of jobs and career paths:
- Working in Hershey Pennsylvania performing quality control on KitKat Bars (Food Science & Technology)
- Studying to be a forensic scientist as seen on the television show CSI (Insect Science)
- Performing physical examinations on animals (Veterinary Technologist)
Get a Job!
Jill Brown, CASNR Career Specialist
jbrown14@unl.edu or 402-472-8273
What does it take to get a job in today's world? This workshop focuses on resumes, body language, professional dress, interviewing techniques, and much more! Learn skills that are beneficial to finding part-time employment as well as that first full-time job following graduation.
Top Ten and Termites
Lisa Silberman, Recruitment Coordinator
Insect Science and Diversified Agriculture
lsilberman1@unl.edu 402-472-3416
We'll outline the top ten reasons to study insects, and do a short exercise showing how termites follow their scent trail, using papermate pens which simulate termite scent. Students can draw designs and watch how the termites follow lines of papermate ink, but not lines of other types of ink and pencil. We'll also bring live insects for students to interact with.
Natural Resources
Jennifer Aerni, Recruitment Coordinator
School of Natural Resources
jaerni2@unl.edu or 402.472.7471
Natural Resources is a multifaceted field with many careers and research opportunities. From studying abroad in Puerto Rico to counting turtles in the prairie pond, opportunities in Natural Resources are plentiful. We have presentations ranging from career exploration to academic opportunities to preparation for range, soil, FFA, and Environthon contests.
Who Wants a Career in Animal Science?
Anita Ferrell, Admissions Coordinator
UNL Animal Science
aferrell2@unl.edu or (402)472-0204
"Who Wants a Career in Animal Science?" is an activity designed to educate students about careers in all segments of the animal industries. Students will be asked questions about careers in each industry segment, based on a provided scenario. I will discuss career opportunities with students as they play the game. Activity complete with lifelines! Example questions about careers related to Animal Science:
Which two of the following are marketable uses for animal by-products?
a. Clothing and Accessories
b. Multimedia development
c. Animal Feeds
Which of the following is not a definition for biotechnology?
a. Using living organisms to make certain products
b. Using living things to improve plants and animals
c. Using computers in biology class
The Power of Snickers...The Power of Agribusiness
Rosalee Swartz, Program and Recruitment Coordinator
Department of Agricultural Economics
rswartz1@unl.edu or 402-472-5234
When you eat that special combination of chocolate, peanuts and caramel, what comes to your mind? It's probably not a career! Let us show you how something as simple as a Snickers bar can relate to exciting careers in the business of agriculture. With eight outstanding programs of study, you're sure to find a winning combination!!
Career Sleuth...Seeing Yourself Under the Magnifying Glass!
Rosalee Swartz, Program and Recruitment Coordinator
Department of Agricultural Economics
rswartz1@unl.edu or 402-472-5234
If you major in a college of education, you'll probably choose a career in teaching. The same is true for engineering or architecture. But what can you do with a career in the business side of agriculture and natural resources? Try law, community development, banking, sales and public relations, commodity trade...even food product development! Identify your strengths and then discover careers that are the perfect fit for you!
Food Product Development
Megan Patent-Nygren
Food Science and Technology Recruitment Coordinator
mpatentnygren2@unl.edu or 402-472-5783
Students will work in teams to make an already great food product even better. In this workshop, each team will start with a familiar product and be guided through the thought process product development teams at companies go through everyday to make line extensions (think of the more than 10 versions of Mountain Dew available today). Students will learn about the role of marketing in food product development and the critical review process company executives go through before launching a product.
Food Safety for Today's Consumers
Megan Patent-Nygren
Food Science and Technology Recruitment Coordinator
mpatentnygren2@unl.edu or 402-472-5783
Students will have the opportunity to learn about how food companies work to keep food products safe. In this workshop, potential food borne hazards are identified, and teams work to prevent the possible problems and check to make sure the procedures have been effective. In industry, this process is called HACCP or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, and each food company must register a HACCP plan for each product produced with the federal government. It is the process that helps to make the US food supply the safest in the world.
Careers in Food Science
Megan Patent-Nygren
Food Science and Technology Recruitment Coordinator
mpatentnygren2@unl.edu or 402-472-5783
Students will be introduced to the food science industry and the many opportunities that exist for future professionals. This workshop is a broad look at the industry and includes information about all aspects of food processing from idea generation and basic research to processing operations and quality assurance. This workshop includes hands-on activities in food chemistry including making gummy worms and a flavor chemistry experiment.
Ice Cream Product Development*
Megan Patent-Nygren
Food Science and Technology Recruitment Coordinator
mpatentnygren2@unl.edu or 402-472-5783
Students will work in teams to design their own ice cream, make it, design a package and marketing scheme then taste the results! Using the base white mix the Dairy Store uses to make fruit flavored ice creams and traditional favorites like vanilla, students will have an array of flavorings, colors and candies to choose from to make a one-of-a-kind flavor and evaluate the finished product like a professional ice cream tester.
*Because of the equipment and supplies needed for this workshop, it can only be offered in our facility on East Campus.
History and Agents of Agroterrorism
Presenter: John Rupnow, PhD, Professor, Food Science and Technology
Contact: Barb Bowers, University Communications
Bbowers1@unl.edu or 402-472-0088 or http://www.unl.edu/pr/speakers/
Agents of disease have been used as weapons of terror for centuries and long before scientists knew how germs spread illness. In medieval times, plague infested corpses were catapulted over castle walls. During WWII , Japan had a military unit that was commissioned to conduct a biological warfare program on China. During the Cold War, the U.S. and many other nations weaponized numerous biological agents such as botulism, smallpox, and plague. These organisms were genetically engineered to increase their lethality. In addition to discussing the history and agents of biological warfare, Rupnow's presentation will include a discussion of the vulnerability of our food supply. For many years, despite occasional concerns regarding the food safety issues, we have taken the safety of our food supply for granted. However, the post-9/11 climate has caused us to ask this question: Could an attack on livestock and/or plants cause a massive interruption of the flow of food? The term "agroterrorism" refers to targeting animals or crops with disease causing agents with the purpose of disrupting the economy. Here, too, there is a historical record of the use of these tactics.
It Must Have Been Something I Ate: Issues in Food Safety
Presenter: John Rupnow, PhD, Professor, Food Science and Technology
Contact: Barb Bowers, University Communications
Bbowers1@unl.edu or 402-472-0088 or http://www.unl.edu/pr/speakers/
Food safety is one of the most important issues facing consumers. One issue that consumers need to be aware of is foodborne illnesses. In this presentation, Rupnow will give an overview of the causes of foodborne illnesses such as E. coli, salmonella, and listeria.
*****"The Department of Food Science and Technology is able to go beyond the list provided here to develop workshops as needed to meet the curricular needs of a particular classroom hosted at your school or in our facility. Please contact Megan Patent-Nygren at mpatentnygren 2@unl.edu or 402.472.5783 to explore this further."
