I originally became interested in beverages as a freshman at Purdue. I began working as an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Mario Ferruzzi's laboratory. Here, I assisted a Ph.D. student in his work on beverages. This work regarding the degradation of anthocyanins when used as natural colorants, was published in 2013. During my junior year, I began another project, this time dealing with wines. In this, I assisted a student in profiling the polyphenolic content of red and white wines. As a senior, I am continuing my work on this project.

This past summer, I was fortunate to work as a Product Development Intern with PepsiCo in Barrington, IL. Here, I was a member of the Gatorade team. This was a wonderful opportunity to apply what I have learned in my classes at Purdue to the real world. My projects included reformulating the sweetness profile of Gatorade Thirst Quencher for the UK and optimizing the viscosity a protein powder. I truly enjoyed this experience.

I want to thank you for your contribution to my education and allowing me to have access to so many great opportunities. I appreciate your investment in my future and look forward to becoming a contributor to the beverage industry during my career as a food scientist.

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