Bahamian Deandrae Smith Earning Doctorate in Food Science, Honored by Consulate General

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Astra Armbrister-Rolle, the Bahamas Consulate General, visited the U of A, Deandrae Smith and associate professor Griffith Antungulu to recognize Smith as the first Bahamian citizen honored in Highlights from the Diaspora, which recognizes high achievement by Bahamians in the U.S. Top from left: Marvin Henfield, Rochelle Russell, Ambrister-Rolle, Atungulu and Simeon Hinsey; Bottom: Shantae Wilson, Zeinab Mohammadi-Shad, Rebecca Bruce, Soraya Shafiekhani and Deandrae Smith.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Deandrae Smith, a first-generation student from the Bahamas, is earning her doctorate in food science from the U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences this summer and has been recognized by the Bahamas Consulate General.

Smith's concentration is in food engineering under the guidance of Griffiths Atungulu, associate professor in the Department of Food Science, and a researcher and scientist with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the U of A System Division of Agriculture.

The Bahamas Consulate General, Astra Armbrister-Rolle, headquartered in Atlanta, recognized Smith as a Highlights from the Diaspora honoree. Highlights from the Diaspora is a citizen recognition initiative created to share stories and success of Bahamian citizens in the United States. Smith was the first person to be featured in the quarterly communications piece.

"Deandrae is a well-rounded student and took advantage of all opportunities that a high-caliber research university like the University of Arkansas provides," said Jeyam Subbiah, professor and food science department head. "She added diversity to our department and enhanced the cultural experience of other students. I am proud of this honor that has been bestowed on Deandrae." 

The Bahamas Consulate General in Atlanta was established to work with Bahamian businesses and residents in Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

"Eating is more than a daily act of sustenance," said Smith. "It is a lip-smacking cultural observation."

Her experiences in food science include a 10-week food safety and quality internship with General Mills last summer, and a product development internship at Simmons Foods in 2016 where she tested five new pet treat formulations.

Smith is also the outgoing graduate student representative of the department's first diversity, equity and inclusion subcommittee, which was involved in the creation of the department's first plan; and was president of the Food Science Club for 2018-19.

In the Bahamas, she has seen the cultural food supply slowly disappear, such as the "Dilly Fruit." Her goal in food science is to learn modern food processing capabilities and explore how they can be implemented in the Bahamas.  

Her career goal is to work in agriculture and bridge Bahamian culture with modernization of food technology and engineering.   

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. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

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 2.7 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.