Glacier FarmMedia – Some researchers prefer to stay in laboratories and behind academic papers rather than deal with a lot of people.
Chamali Kodikara isn’t suited for that sort of introverted life.
“I really like to do the other stuff as well,” said Kodikara, after learning she had been elected vice-president of competitions for the Chicago-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Student Association.
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A researcher can’t expect to be as effective if their only focus is performing research and they don’t foster connections, she said.
“Just doing research isn’t going to employ knowledge.”
Kodikara is about to begin her doctorate studies at the University of Manitoba and is working with the Canadian Grain Commission on wheat alkaloid research. She is president of the University of Manitoba food science department’s graduate students association and has been working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as a research scientist.
Her path follows the international and multi-disciplinary route that characterizes the global food science field.
She did her undergraduate work in Sri Lanka, her master’s in Sweden and has been conducting research in Winnipeg. Her involvement with IFT has exposed her to the vast and complex international food industry.
Plant-based protein enthusiasm is driving enormous investment and product development; artificial intelligence allows for faster concept development, and breakthroughs in chemistry are providing food enhancements like never before.
For all of her international academic pedigree, however, Kodikara’s research in Manitoba has had a more local focus: development of under-utilized prairie fruits and berries.
She worked with other researchers to identify various health-promoting components in native fruits like chokecherry and saskatoon, with hopes of increasing farm production.
“I feel happy,” Kodikara said. “It will improve myself and contribute to society.”
