Dr. Jennifer Quinlan: Nutrition Around the World
~An Interview with our Fulbright Scholar ~

Dr. Jennifer Quinlan, Assitant Professor in the Department of Biology at Drexel University was recently announced as a Fulbright Scholar for 2008-2009 and will spend her abroad time at Corvinus University located in Budapest, Hungary as a Faculty member for Food Science in the Department of Microbiology. There she will teach Food Microbiology and Nutrition courses, as well as work with faculty as they start a new MSc program as part of a structural reorganization of the Department. In addition to teaching, she will be an active member of the Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, serving as a member of student research committees in order to become familiar with ongoing research at Corvinus.

Below is an interview with Dr. Quinlan, presented by Nathan Fried, Departmental Communicator for the Department of Biology.

Fried: Good afternoon, or should I say, good morning! Lets start out by telling us some of your background, where you went to school, how you ended up here at Drexel.

Quinlan: I received my B.S. and M.S. in Food Science from Rutgers University and my Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from North Carolina State University. I worked in a Food Regulatory agency (North Carolina Department of Agriculture) as their Chief Microbiologist for over 5 years and even spent some time in the pharmaceutical industry prior to coming to Drexel to teach in 2003.

Fried: So since 2003 when you first got to Drexel, what type of research have you been involved with?

Quinlan: My current research involves a number of different aspects of food microbiology, but the major U.S.D.A. funded research project in my lab right now is examining whether populations of different demographics (i.e. minority, low socioeconomic status) experience greater risks for foodborne illness at the retail level where they are most likely to access food. There is data that indicates that these populations suffer from greater rates of common foodborne illnesses, but it is not known why - so we are examining whether their retail access to food may be one of the sources.

Fried: That sounds very interesting. What do you think led to your selection as a Fulbright Scholar?

Quinlan: While I do hope to do some research here at Corvinus University, I am on a lecturer Fulbright - which means I am here to teach as well. I would suspect that my range of experience in teaching, combined with my research interests in how populations of different cultures access food and how this might impact their heath both led to my selection for the Fulbright Scholar Grant.

Fried: So specifically, what will you be doing while in Budapest?

Quinlan: I am teaching both a Nutrition and Foods Course, as well as a Food Microbiology and Public Health Course. I also give guest lectures in Graduate courses and I meet weekly with a group of students who are obtaining a special translators certificate in English. While I talk to that class about scientific issues in food - their grades are primarily based on how well they can communicate about the issues in English. Additionally I do hope to do some research regarding how the minority populations here in Hungary access food and how that might impact their acute and chronic health issues.

Fried: I can very well see how different our culture may be when it comes to food. Out of all your experiences thus far, what do you think was the most unique?

Quinlan: There have been many - but the one I will mention is that we love the large central food market in the city - it allows us to see all of the different types of foods eaten here - and is also a great place to buy much of our own fresh produce and meats. Recently I decided to buy a whole chicken so that I could make some soup (they do not sell canned soup here the way we are used to in America). I saw the chicken still had the head on it - so I asked the butcher to cut it off since I knew I did not want it. It was not until I got home and opened the bag that I jumped back when I found two large chicken feet sticking out of the cavity of the bird! Many cultures make much better use of all parts of the animals than we Americans. I am afraid that is not something I can change about myself on this trip - we threw the feet away unused....

Fried: Before I let you back to your work, would you have any advice or parting words of wisdom to share with students or faculty looking into a Fulbright award?

Quinlan: Work closely with the Fulbright Program Officer for your country and make a connection with faculty where you want to go so that they can write a strong letter of support for your award.