As a biochemistry major at 海角论坛, Marie Box has been able to blend two of her favorite things: science and sweets. Her recipe for success? Taking advantage of hands-on learning opportunities, from formulating plant-based desserts during her internship with a local small business to competing internationally with the university鈥檚 genetic engineering team. With plans for graduate school, she has her sights set on a future in food science.
Why Oneonta?
It was close to home, so I visited and immediately fell in love with it. I felt like 鈥淭his is where I鈥檓 supposed to be.鈥 And I鈥檓 so happy I came here. I think God brought me here for a very special reason. I love the size of Oneonta: It鈥檚 not too big and not too small. I see a different new person every day, so I think it鈥檚 the perfect size.
My Activities
I鈥檓 on 海角论坛鈥檚 iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) team, and I鈥檓 an active member of Campus Ambassadors, or 鈥淐A鈥, a Christian fellowship group. CA and church are really important to me. It鈥檚 where I met all my roommates and close friends, and now I help coordinate meetings, events and retreats.
Best Experiences
I鈥檓 doing an internship with a local small business, V锚sucr茅, that makes vegan, plant-based, gluten-free frozen desserts. It鈥檚 exciting because they started small but are now in more than 300 stores and starting to mass-produce! My role is to nail down the science behind their products. It鈥檚 very analytical, weighing stuff and finding percentages. Do we need less water? More oil? What can we add to the ingredients to ensure everything is natural and also shelf-stable? I鈥檓 in the kitchen with their team three days a week, and it鈥檚 been amazing because it鈥檚 my two favorite things: Cooking/baking and applying science to that. It鈥檚 everything I ever wanted to do in one! Right now, I鈥檓 working on perfecting their new 鈥淭ruffs,鈥 protein-packed double-chocolate truffles.
Another best experience is iGEM, definitely! Being able to work closely with professors that have been in the industry before, working with DNA and modifying it, that was mind-blowing. I got to go to Paris with the team in October to compete at the annual iGEM Grand Jamboree, where we earned a gold medal! That was amazing. I met and networked with so many people doing food science-related things, which was really exciting for me.
About My Major
It鈥檚 intense. You have to put in the work. But it鈥檚 so rewarding. All of my professors are very nice and easy to talk to, and I鈥檝e become close with them.
Favorite Classes?
I鈥檓 currently doing research with Dr. Fred Zalatan, looking at the Ty1 transposable element (a "jumping gene") in baker's yeast and using molecular, cellular and genetic techniques. He is so chill, very down-to-earth, and makes sure you understand what you鈥檙e doing in the lab, which makes it so much more fun.
I also loved Senior Seminar with Dr. Ronald Bishop. He鈥檚 very encouraging, and we did a lot of mock interviews and presenting in front of faculty and staff, which I feel has really prepared me for going to grad school.
Plans, Goals, Dreams
My V锚sucr茅 internship was validating and showed me that this is exactly what I want to do with my future. I鈥檝e applied to a few of Cornell University鈥檚 Food Science graduate programs, including their Ph.D. degree program, and should hear back in the spring.
My dream is to be a food scientist, using chemistry and biology to analyze the nutritional content of food, discover new food sources, and modify foods to make them all-natural and healthier without using anything fake. Say Hershey鈥檚 wants to make a new chocolate bar that鈥檚 super healthy and low calorie but still tastes good. That鈥檚 possible, it鈥檚 just harder and time-consuming, and it wouldn鈥檛 be as shelf-stable so would have to be sold faster. It would be my dream to work on something like that. A lot of businesses are currently trying to find a replacement for red dye, so that鈥檚 something many food scientists are working on right now.
