CIFS provides a forum for networking and collaboration between industrial research scientists, business leaders, and Cornell faculty. We are pleased to highlight some of the collaborations between Cornell and our industry partners that have resulted.
Other Industry Initiatives
Professional Food Buyer Course
The Professional Food Buyer Course was created in response to consumer interest in specialty foods, such as organic, fair trade, and gluten-free products. The intensive interactive online course delivered by Cornell Food Science faculty and staff at the Cornell Institute for Food Systems via the eCornell online platform is intended for professionals who are – or wish to be—buyers of specialty foods. Incorporating videos, slide presentations, knowledge checks, downloadable resources, and reflection exercises, the course is designed to be fun and engaging.
The course was the first in eCornell’s nearly 20-year history to be developed with an industry partner - the Specialty Food Association (SFA). Course participants have the opportunity to earn a certificate from the Specialty Food Association and Cornell University attesting to their professional knowledge as a specialty food buyer, including a better understanding and appreciation for the key principles and best practices associated with supply chain management, strategic partnerships, strategic sourcing, and product success in the food industry
Please contact ra283 [at] cornell.edu (Rajni Aneja) to discuss custom food systems learning opportunities, including new online professional certificate courses delivered via the eCornell platform.
Other Industry Initiatives
The Alt. Protein Project at Cornell
The Alt. Protein Project at Cornell
An important focus at CIFS is in supporting student-led initiatives that increase their exposure to new learning opportunities and industry career paths. One such initiative is the Alt. Protein Project at Cornell, which was founded by students in 2021 in partnership with The Good Food Institute.
The Alt. Protein Project at Cornell strives to build a healthy, sustainable, and just food system by creating a vibrant and robust community for alternative protein research and innovation at Cornell University. The organization aims to provide members with a community where they can explore the field of alternative protein and other opportunities associated with plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation-derived meat, eggs, and dairy to plan future careers that will allow them to transform the future of food. At its best, the Alt. Protein Project at Cornell group acts as a miniature thinking tank for a burgeoning field, catapulting its members to the forefront of the alternative protein movement. While the Project’s membership is primarily students, it is open to all at Cornell who are interested in taking the steps to a better, more sustainable future that aims to reduce the consumption of conventional meat.
Prof. Elad Tako serves as faculty advisor and Rajni Aneja as industry engagement mentor to the Project.
For further information on how to engage with the Alt. Protein Project at Cornell, please contact cornellaltpro [at] gmail.com.
