Senior Manager, Nutrition Science, Balchem Corporation
While at the Friedman School, Eric earned his PhD in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition.
1. What do you love about your job?
I love the field of nutrition science and the impact that diet can have on your health. However, I’m a firm believer that we, as nutrition scientists, need to make our work engaging and compelling to the public to make it actionable. I get to spend my day supporting research projects and crafting communications that help educate the benefits of nutrition. I love being able to support nutrition research and contribute to the field while still being able to connect with audiences at conferences and trade shows to share the impact that nutrition can have on their lives.
2. How did you get your first job after Friedman?
My first job after my postdoc was through a Friedman connection. I met a Friedman alumni at a career day event when she came to campus to speak to students about life in industry. We kept in touch and a few years later, she was kind enough to forward my resume to the hiring manager when a nutrition science position opened up. The Friedman alumni base is very broad – it’s the greatest asset you have as you embark on your career.
3. What/who was the most memorable course/professor at Friedman?
I was fortunate to have two fantastic mentors at Friedman – my PhD advisors Joel Mason and Jimmy Crott. Every day, they provided guidance and support for my project and as I was wrapping up, giving sage advice on how to navigate the next steps of my career.
Aside from my mentors, two names that stick out in my mind are Elizabeth Johnson and Diane McKay. When I was preparing for my comprehensive exams, both were incredibly generous with their time and were instrumental in helping me to pass. I am still grateful for their support.
4. What lessons did you learn at Friedman that continue to influence you in your job and career?
One thing that is virtually impossible to miss while at Friedman is how nutrition science fits into the broader world of policy, and that is something I work with on a daily basis. A tangible example is that whenever you’re working to communicate the benefits of nutrients in foods or dietary supplements, you have to be mindful of the regulatory requirements around those messages and claims. The policies around claims quite literally shape the way we talk about nutrition and design our research pipeline – and having had the opportunity to gain exposure to the intricacies of these rules and regulations at Friedman served as an important foundation that I still rely on in my day to day work.
5. What advice do you have for Friedman students as they embark on their careers?
Network! Don’t wait until you’re weeks away from graduating to start networking – start now! Reach out to alumni, get more active with professional societies (e.g., ASN, AND, etc), make a point to attend talks and introduce yourself to the speakers, and so on. Nutrition is a very small world, and you never know when and where you might cross paths with folks again in the future!
Be prepared! Have a LinkedIn page that’s updated. Make sure to have a resume/CV that’s ready to send. It should be fast and easy for people to learn about your capabilities and professional accomplishments – if potential employers have to wait because you’re making an updated resume at the last second, you run the risk of missing your window of opportunity.
Interested in connecting with Eric? Find him HERE.
