Proctor in Food Science Chairs Soft Skills Series as Fulbright-Austria Visiting Professor

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University Professor of food science Andy Proctor (top row, left), organized a career development Skype seminar for natural science students in Austria with current doctoral student Sarah Shinn (left on screen) and Bumpers College Ph.D. graduate Utkarsh Shah (right on screen), now a senior scientist at The Hershey Company.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Andy Proctor, a University Professor of food science in the University of Arkansas' Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, organized and chaired a fall series of career enhancement Skype seminars for Austrian natural sciences students at the University of Graz and Graz Technical University.

Proctor coordinated the series as part of his duties as a Fulbright-Austria NAWI Graz Visiting Professor in Natural Sciences for the fall semester.

NAWI Graz is a partnership between the University of Graz and Graz University of Technology in Graz for joint teaching, research and doctorate programs in natural sciences and engineering, including chemistry, technical and molecular biosciences, mathematics, environmental science, physics and geosciences. NAWI is a German language abbreviation for "natural sciences."

Proctor invited current graduate student Sarah Shinn and former student Utkarsh Shah to be speakers in the series.

During the first seminar, Shinn and Shah spoke on "Tips on Finding That First Job: How to Get Interviews for Jobs You Don't Even Apply For." The series was part of Proctor's activities to teach soft success skills by using speakers at various stages of their careers who have developed skills in those areas.

The audience included master's degree students and doctoral students at the University of Graz and Graz University of Technology.

Shinn is a Bumpers College doctoral student in food science and Shah a doctoral graduate of the UA program who is now a senior scientist at The Hershey Company in Hershey, Pennsylvania. They gave students advice on finding their first job and networking.

"Graz has high-quality academic programs and produces world-class scientists with multilingual skills," said Proctor. "However, I thought they might benefit from leadership training in 'soft success skills' such as networking and communication skills to facilitate the transition from student life to the professional world. Hopefully, the Fulbright experience is not an end in itself, but the beginning of further opportunities for career and university program development."  

Proctor's other projects during the visiting professorship included being part of a multidisciplinary team to address high impact European Union Horizon 2020 food science and technology research goals, initiating international research and education programs; and interacting with students through classroom teaching.

NAWI Graz food science and analytical chemistry professor Erich Leitner is visiting UA in March as a guest of the Department of Food Science. He will be exploring international program development opportunities and learning more about Arkansas' food industry. Departmental seminars with Leitner are set for March 14 in the Chemistry and Bio Chemistry Department, and March 18 in the Department of Food Science.

The Fulbright Program is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists. During grants, Fulbrighters meet, work, live with and learn from people of the host country. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home and routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of other viewpoints.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.