Students

Convocation ‘24: Zoe Bumanis, MSc, Food Science and Bioresource Technology

Donna McKinnon - 12 June 2024

 

Zoe Bumanis knew she’d made the right decision to transfer from English to nutrition before her undergraduate program even started. A long history of employment in kitchens and bakeries had whet her appetite to learn more about the microbiology of food, in particular food safety and quality. It is a passion with strong family ties.

“Working with my grandmother and my grandpa in their bakery made me realize how much I loved food science,” says Zoe, adding that her entire family has uplifted and supported her throughout her journey.

In 2023, she was a finalist in the University of Alberta Three Minute Thesis (3MT) academic competition. Her presentation, Water, Flour and Time, incorporated aspects of her research on the behaviour of sourdough bread bacteria to determine what fermentation conditions are the best at preventing mold growth.

“This information can be used to help us reduce the amount of preservatives in bread without reducing shelf life, and to optimize fermentations in the food industry,” she says.

With aspirations to use her nutrition and food science degrees in health sciences research, Zoe is keeping the door open to whatever opportunity comes next, while educating the next generation of bakers.

Congratulations Zoe!

 

What program are you graduating from?

MSc in Food Science and Bioresource Technology (thesis based).

What led you to choose your current area of study, and why the U of A for your studies?

I chose the U of A for its reputation, and honestly, because a lot of my friends were going there. Everyone in my family expected me to go into the arts, and in fact the program I was first accepted into was a BA in English. But during course selection I realized that I couldn’t picture myself taking these classes for four years and being happy, and because of that, I transferred to a nutrition degree. My family has always been pretty food-focused and I’d been working in a bakery part-time since junior high so it seemed only natural. It’s a decision I’m so happy I made; earning my BSc wasn’t easy, but I loved the majority of the coursework so much that I didn’t really mind.

I chose to get my MSc partially because of COVID. The lockdowns weren't ending anytime soon, so I figured I could struggle to get a job during a global pandemic, or I could stay in school and open myself up to better opportunities with a masters degree. I decided to enter the thesis-based program so I could build my practical skills alongside my knowledge, and to make my own contribution to academia.

What is one of your favourite memories from your time at the U of A?

It’s hard for me to point to one exact moment over the last seven years and say, “that one, that’s the best”. I have a lot of fond memories with friends, but I remember feeling particularly proud when I went to my first international conference and presented my research (original fermentation schemes designed to improve the mold-free shelf life of sourdough bread) to an audience of food scientists and microbiologists. A lot of people thought I was in the doctoral program, and that really boosted my confidence. 

Tell us about your favourite professor and/or class.

It’s kind of a cheat, but I have trouble choosing between NUTR 356 (Nutrition Across the Lifespan) and NU FS 480 (Microbial Food Safety), so I’m going to say both were my favourite! I’m really interested in microbes that cause illness, so 480 was perfect for me. I remember driving my parents insane that semester because I’d stand by the kitchen counter while my mom made dinner and just rattle off every potential pathogen that could’ve been hiding in our raw ingredients. It was one of the only classes where I wished it was harder so I could study for it more. NUTR 305 (Introduction to the Principles of Nutrition) was also fantastic though, because it was relatable and really broad. It was very fun to cover a whole lifespan in a single class.

Did you take on any leadership roles while you were a student?

Not as much as I would have liked to. I was involved with the Students Invested in Health Association for a semester, but this was during early COVID, so their usual operations were limited mostly to fundraising.

Did you face any significant obstacles or challenges during your program?

The most significant challenge I faced was an internal one. Throughout most of my MSc I felt like an imposter. Even though my GPA was high and I consistently received positive feedback, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd somehow tricked my professors and colleagues into thinking I was smarter than I really was. I don’t know if this is something I’ve fully overcome yet, but what helped a lot was being able to talk about it with friends and family, and to realize that frankly, I’m not a good enough actor to fool that many people. My supervisor and colleagues are intelligent and capable. If they didn’t have good reason to believe I was just as smart and hardworking as them, I wouldn’t be here.

What advice do you have for current and future students?

Get your required course list so you can plan your schedule in advance! Very few things suck more than realizing you missed a pre-requisite or the class you planned to take is only available in the winter semester.

In a more general sense, I would say that it's okay to not know exactly what you want to do, and to struggle academically. Failed tests and harsh feedback from professors is going to happen and it’s going to suck, but at this stage in your life there are very few mistakes that are going to matter in one year, let alone four.

How do you plan on celebrating convocation?

On the day of convocation I plan to meet up with a few friends after the ceremony for photos, then my full family is coming over for dinner. A few days after that myself and a larger group of friends are having a murder-mystery dinner party, so there's a lot of celebrating I'll be doing!

What's next after graduation?

Ideally a full-time job! I'm currently teaching baking courses part time, but I'd like to keep working in research at the university. I have a really strong interest in health sciences and I'm looking for ways to apply my nutrition and food science degrees in that field.