By Katrina Hageman
Nine Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition students attended the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sept. 14-17. The event takes place every three years, featuring international representation from students and baking professionals.
Students must apply to attend IBIE, answering essay questions regarding their experience and goals for the baking industry. The selection process is rigorous, with competition from all parts of the nation.
A unique aspect of the event is students get paired with a mentor who is an industry professional through the Student Immersion program. This opportunity allows students to ask questions and gain in-depth knowledge of working in the baking industry.
“The conversations with my career mentor was irreplicable, as he was also a first-generation college student who understood the difficulties and questions I may have,” said Madilyn Greene, a sophomore in culinary food science. “I now have a better understanding of the career pathways available within food science, and I feel more motivated to pursue opportunities that combine research, culinary skills and industry innovation.”
Students also took part in guided industrial bakery tours, career panels, two trade shows, educational sessions and hands-on workshops.
“I really appreciated being able to get a large-scale view of the baking industry,” said Garion Brown, a senior in food science. “Not only were manufacturers there, but suppliers, logistics companies, packaging companies, ingredient companies and small-scale bakeries. It was very eye-opening to realize how big the industry is and all the opportunities that surround it.”
The event attracts more than 19,000 industry professionals, 1,005 exhibitors and 331 expert speakers, and features 154 educational sessions and 110 show floor demos and presentations.
“Several sessions and speakers stood out, especially those who shared both their technical expertise and personal stories of growth,” Greene said. “One was troubleshooting in gluten-free baking by Jenae Cartwright, owner of Cake and Crumble in Washington. Hearing how she navigated challenges both professionally and personally and built her career helped me picture what my own journey might look like as someone who is particularly interested in baking and pastry that keeps all dietary restrictions in mind.”
Through this experience, Iowa State students gained valuable information on large and small scales of baking. The FSHN department at Iowa State strives to help students find opportunities, like this, to expose students to the vast number of opportunities in the food science and culinary food science fields.
“It’s important to get young people interested in the baking industry as a whole, from ingredients and recipe development to large manufacturing,” said Erica Beirman, teaching professor in food science and human nutrition. “Our students got to participate like they were professionals in the industry, which is a great learning experience.”
The other students who attend IBIE are:
- Dylan Jennings, senior in food science
- Eshal Yasser, freshman in environmental science
- Lucas Brown, senior in culinary food science
- Nafira Nawar Samika, freshman in food science
- Rachel Hager, senior in culinary food science
- Shafer Helms, senior in culinary food science
- Sophia Fox, senior in culinary food science
The next International Baking Industry Exposition is in September 2028.