Get to know our students: Georgie Thursby, FANS President
February 28, 2020
Our next blog is from Georgie Thursby, a third year Bachelor of Nutrition Science student. Originally from the UK, she moved to Melbourne to pursue her passion for food and nutrition sciences and she hopes to work in food manufacturing in the future. Georgie is the in-coming President of FANS in 2020 and as you’ll learn from her blog, loves eating felafels.
We asked Georgie 8 questions:
- What sparked your interest in food and nutrition?
Growing up food brought the family together at meal times where we would sit for at least an hour at the end of the day to chat and eat. My mum has always been an amazing cook so I have always been interested in the way food works to produce a tasty final product.
After finishing school I took a gap year and that was when I become interested in learning how food fuelled my body and the nutritional content of foods and how it changes throughout the cooking process. I withdrew from my university place in the UK and applied to Deakin University to study Nutrition and I have never looked back since!
- What has been the most enjoyable part of studying food and nutrition?
The variety of the units that Deakin offers. The range from the science and fundamentals of food and the components making them, to nutritional needs and requirements at each life stage, to the science behind how consumers perceive taste. The content is always fresh and new, with no repeating, making the whole degree exciting and interesting.
- What advice would you give to someone considering study in this area?
Do it. Nutrition Science is fascinating and always changing with trends, preferences and research coming out. It is an area that will always be needed for the development of health, regulations and advancement of food products that will keep you on your toes!
- What do you think will be the next most important development in the nutrition field?
The development and growth of incorporating native ingredients into our diets. The native foods that have sustained Indigenous Australians for over 60,000 years must be beneficial in some way! The research carried out by Hayley Blieden and the Federal Government to have discovered the nutritional properties of these food is amazing and it is exciting to see the development of The Australian Superfood Co to incorporate the natives into food.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Hopefully working in the industry as a Food Technologist and Product Developer with savings to go towards opening up my own café. In my own business I’d like to pursue innovative menu development with food sustainability as the main focus of the ingredients and ethos.
And just for fun, we asked…
- What’s the best and worst piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Worst piece: Just wait and see what happens. I’ve learnt to never do this, it is always best to be proactive.
Best piece: Take each day as it comes and make a list. My mum tells me this every time I get overwhelmed about uni, work and life in general and it helps me to break challenges down, strategize and prioritise to get things done step by step.
- What’s your favourite food?
Probably the hardest question of all time…I think probably falafels, but only when freshly made and they are hot and crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside!
- Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
The most interesting place in terms of food and culture is probably Hong Kong. It’s the only place I have been to where you can find a family fun, local food outlet right next door to a Michelin star restaurant or Australian themed café. But what I find most interesting, is the family run restaurant is busier and welcomes locals and expats from all walks of life, to deliver some of the best food I’ve ever eaten.