Events

Below is the planned list of events for the 2018-2019 DC-IFT fiscal year (and beyond). Please note that dates and locations may be subject to change. Click on the event info link for detailed information.

2020 Food Policy Impact – Feb 10-11, 2020 (click here)
Keeping abreast of the latest developments in food laws, regulations and policy initiatives is absolutely critical for being compliant and anticipating “that ‘next step.’” Every year, the Washington DC IFT section coordinates the Food Policy Impact, providing attendees the opportunity to hear from, and network with, officials from regulatory agencies along with leading attorneys and industry leaders.

Corn Refiners Association Scholarship to Food Policy impact
In order to encourage participation of local students interested in food technology and policy, the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is covering student registration fees for up to 20 Washington DC area students. CRA believes that this is a beneficial event for students to become more informed on how policy plays a role in food technology, as well as being a fantastic networking opportunity. Those students interested in this opportunity should submit their resume and cover letter to Allison Cooke, Director, Food Policy at CRA by Friday, January 18, 2019. Resumes and cover letters can be sent to acooke@corn.org with the subject line “2019 IFT Food Policy Impact Student Registration.” CRA will advise those who will receive registration support no later than January 25, 2019.

DC Distillery Tour – Mar 14, 2019 (click here)
On Thursday, March 14 at 6:00 pm, please join us for a tour of District Distillery Co. at 1414 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. The tour will be approximately 40 minutes and include four tastings of products chosen by the tour guide. The cost for the tour is $10. Please RSVP in advance. We hope you join us for this fun event!

USA Science and Engineering Festival – Apr 25-26, 2020 (click here)
Celebrate STEM at the largest science festival in the country! And swing by the “Feeding Tomorrow” booth in the exhibit hall to say hello to DC IFT members who will be assisting with staffing. Beyond that, explore 3,000 hands-on exhibits from the world’s leading scientific and engineering societies, universities, government agencies, high-tech corporations and STEM organizations. The two-day Expo is perfect for children, teens, and families who want to inspire their curious minds.

The Fundamentals of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for End Users – Online (click here)
DC-IFT recently sponsored Tufts University to design an online course to better educate scientists on the principles, utility and methodologies of qualitative and quantitative evidence synthesis with a focus on applications of the public health literature.

Viewers will:
1)  Be able to describe the steps of a systematic review.
2)  Understand strengths and limitations of study-level meta-analysis.
3)  Be able to distinguish between clinical and methodological diversity and heterogeneity.
4)  Understand how to explore between-study heterogeneity in a meta-analysis.
5)  Understand the pros and cons of subgroup analyses.
6)  Understand what meta-regression is and why it is useful.
7)  Be able to critique the quality of systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses.

Past Event Snapshot
“Together We Bake” Volunteer Event

The DC IFT chapter co-hosted a volunteer event recently with Together We Bake, a workforce training program for women in need of a second chance. They make and sell healthy, locally sourced snacks. Members of the DC IFT chapter gathered after the work day at the International Food Information Council (IFIC) office in downtown DC to help label packages for cookies, granola, and other goodies. You can see we were busy elves! The co-founders of Together We Bake offered us a sampling of their offerings, and we can attest they are delicious! It was an honor to offer our support to a nonprofit that’s elevating community members. They are a small baking business at their core that also offers 8 week-long training sessions during which participants learn technical skills (e.g., food production, food safety, and business administration) and soft skills (e.g., self-empowerment and life skills). Look for their products at your local Whole Foods! And stay tuned for the next volunteer event for DC IFT members, posted here!