​Faculty of AgriSciences student Kim Teresa Mannix's enthusiasm for her chosen field of study is quite infectious and one can see exactly why Stellenbosch University (SU) bestowed a 2021 Rector's Award of Excellent Achievement upon her.

The awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of students in the areas of academics, sport, leadership, social impact, culture and service provision. Mannix, one of 82 recipients of this annual award, received hers for her excellent academic results during a recent online ceremony.

The young student, who completed a BSc (Food Science) degree at SU and is currently studying towards a Master's degree in Food Science, said she is grateful and honoured to be recognised by the University with the Rector's Award.

But it is when she explains why she chose to pursue food science as her chosen field of study that she really lights up.

“I was introduced to food science at a young age by a friend's mom who worked in the food industry. It was fascinating to find out how much work goes on behind the scenes when introducing innovative and safe products into the market. It was also not a common field of work, which is why I found it so interesting."

She said this passion for food science was fuelled at SU and came to fruition at the Faculty of AgriSciences' annual New Product Development Day (NPD), where food science students present their final-year project to various stakeholders in the food industry.

“We were tasked with developing a new food product according to a theme. The project encompassed all the aspects that we studied throughout our degree including chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, nutrition, legislation and sensory science. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we couldn't physically formulate our products. However, I learned a lot that year and my team put in a huge effort. The day we presented our product concept was very exciting as we finally got to show others what we had been working on for so long."

Mannix, who hopes to graduate at the end of 2022, has ambitious future career plans.

“I have recently become very interested in the application of artificial intelligence and how it can assist the food industry. This was the basis for my Master's degree studies. I am hoping that I can move in this direction with my career. I am also hoping to work overseas in the future," she said.

The former Curro Durbanville High School pupil credits the immense support and understanding she received from her school, as well as her parents, for her academic success.

She has the following advice for SU students hoping to make a success of their studies: “Make friends with like-minded individuals in your degree programme. I firmly believe that it would not have been possible for me to do as well as I did without the support of my friends. It's great to have someone equally as passionate about the field you are in to bounce ideas off. Take full advantage of tutorials and lectures; it often helped me cut down on study time when I did this."

 Click here to read more about the awards and all the recipients.

*A total of 82 top Stellenbosch University (SU) students were recently honoured with Rector's Awards for excellence in academics, leadership, social impact, culture, sport and service provision. During the next few weeks, we will feature some of the winners.​