Elise Packer: Excited for Lab Opportunity

New NC Food Innovation Lab (NCFIL) intern Elise Packer traded baguettes for barbecue, moving from Europe to North Carolina, for the chance to work in labs for a six-month internship.

Packer is pursuing her master’s degree in Sustainable Food Systems via a dual degree program in Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Cremona, Italy and ISARA Lyon, France, which she started in 2022. 

Originally from Utah, Packer majored in food science at Brigham Young University (BYU) in 2018. She got her start with NCFIL in early February and already has a favorite piece of equipment: the pasteurizer. 

“In France I was introduced to the tubular pasteurizer for the first time in some labs — it’s cool to see what I’ve learned in school come to life and to apply it on a big scale,” says Packer. 

Packer already has lab experience under her belt, thanks to her work as an undergraduate intern and employment after graduation for Idaho-based wellness company Melaleuca. 

For the company, she analyzed ingredients for label compliance, reformulated products and performed quality assurance and shelf-life testing. She also worked as a research assistant in BYU’s sensory lab and microbiology lab.

A Perfect Fit

For her European master’s degree program, Packer needs to complete her thesis in a relatively short period of time. Her thesis focuses on stainless steel and its influence on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and technoeconomic analysis (TEA) in plant-based and animal-based protein production. 

“With all the work NCFIL does with plant-based proteins and sustainability, it is the perfect facility to complete my research and fits the unique needs of the European master’s program,” says Packer. 

She plans to use NCFIL’s existing research and data to help draft her thesis. Specifically, she will investigate the environmental impact and availability of stainless steel production and whether this factor should be considered when looking at plant-based proteins as sustainable alternatives.

Packer got started right away working in the lab at NCFIL. She’s already worked on projects with some smaller business clients, including cocktail and mocktail applications. She’s also helped the team prepare materials for client visits on larger projects.

“At other jobs, I did a lot of benchtop work,” she says. “But since day one at NCFIL, I’ve done work on a larger scale, from preparing materials to learning to clean large equipment. The team gives me many opportunities to learn.” 

The Big Picture

After earning her master’s degree, Packer hopes to work at a facility similar to NCFIL, conducting food research and possibly branching into food waste and sustainability. This internship is equipping her with the confidence to take risks, says Packer.

“You have so many different available projects here. You just have to make a plan and go for it,” she says. “That’s been inspiring to me—the ability to figure things out, to try and fail, and to learn from that.”

Through her past experiences, Packer has discovered the importance of mentors. But she hadn’t found a lot of female mentors. 

Fortunately, she found one at NCFIL. Packer and NCFIL Product Developer Chloe Brubaker connected when Packer started. “I’ve been joined at the hip with Chloe; she’s my mentor, and I’m learning all I can from her,” says Packer. 

“Elise is working on several unique products with specific functionality goals. These kinds of products are tricky, even for experienced product developers,” says Brubacker. “Elise has problem solving skills and persistence, pushing through development even with difficult projects.” 

Packer has been impressed with all the women who work in the lab: “They’re all noticeably confident and independent in what they do. It’s been good for me to be surrounded by women like that.”

 “My PSA to everyone: if you’re a female in food science, we need more of you.”