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We are joined by a guest who is just as comfortable with a pipette as he is with a piping bag. Dr. Josh Smalley is a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Leicester, specializing in the synthesis of peptidomimetic materials. But to millions of viewers worldwide, he is better known as the meticulous finalist from the 2023 series of The Great British Baking Show.

Josh has pioneered a unique niche in science communication, recently launching the 'Science Kitchen'—a project that uses the art of baking to demystify complex chemistry for the public. Today, we’re diving into the 'chemistry of the tent,' how he manages the transition from the lab to the lime-light, and his mission to inspire the next generation of scientists through the universal language of food.

Some of  Josh’s favorite books: 

The Science of Baking by Matt Alard

The Science of Cooking by Peter Barham

Steeped: The Chemistry of tea by Michelle Francl

 'Science of' series by Dorling Kindersley - 

Science of Spice by Dr. Stuart Farrimond

Science of Flavour by Dr. Stuart Farrimond

Science of Fermentation by DK and Robin Sherriff

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AI is here to stay.  Will AI be the end of humanity or will it create a utopia?  The AI Doc or How I Became an Apocaloptimist is a documentary that looks at the positives, negative, and mixed effects AI may have on society in the near future.

Here is a link to the AI Doc movie trailer:

https://youtu.be/xkPbV3IRe4Y?si=fzvdMz_ZolZIfaZk 

Serial entrepreneur, podcaster, and (now) grad student Adam Yee and I went to see the AI Doc a few weeks ago and have been talking about it ever since.

The movie was made by the producers of one of my favorite movies, "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once".  Here is a link to the "Everything" movie trailer:

https://youtu.be/wxN1T1uxQ2g?si=wnAnu50rKAtZzzGb

If you see the AI Doc movie, or even if you don't we'd like to hear your thoughts on where AI is taking careers and society.

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Every five years, a massive set of rules, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), quietly changes the way 300 million people are "supposed" to eat. But who actually writes these rules? Is it pure science, or is it just the latest dietary trend?

In this episode, we sit down with April Fogelman to go behind the scenes of the federal nutrition recommendations that were recently updated. We’re digging into the evolution of American nutrition, from the nostalgia of the pyramid to today’s "upside-down" recommendations. 

Dr. April Fogelman is a Dietician, Lactation Consultant, Associate Professor of Nutrition, and Extension Specialist in our department with interests ranging from infant nutrition to sports nutrition.  In addition to her work at NC State, she is an avid marathon runner.

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In this energizing episode, we chat with TEDx Speaker and Champion of Molecular Literacy, Dr. Colleen Kelley.  Colleen is a science and chemistry teacher, a bilingual author, an Army veteran, and TEDx speaker.  Her educational range is impressive.  She has taught classes from K-12 through the university.  Colleen has an amazing ability to communicate enthusiasm about science through public speaking, podcasts, and video.  Colleen has used cartoon characters, graphics novels, and other methods to make challenging topics less intimidating, more interesting and more accessible. 

TEDx Talk: Molecular Literacy for Ages 8 to 108:

https://youtu.be/OwQfs0pIO-I?si=jwo_jxUMr96355ZJ

Kid's Chemical Solutions Website: 

https://kidschemicalsolutions.com/meet-the-founder/

Chemistry Colleen YouTube Video: Science of Making Bread

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXidGqUbknw

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This episode was recorded live at the BakingTECH 2026 meeting in Chicago with our guest, Heather Simpson.

Heather Simpson has built a diverse career in the food industry, leveraging her Food Science education from Purdue University. Her journey began at Mars Corp's DoveBar plant gaining experience in production. She then transitioned to the dairy industry, working with a hydrocolloid ingredient company to support McDonald's shake and soft serve products, deepening her expertise in food ingredients and applications.

Heather's career path then led her to a sales position with Kraft Food Ingredients, where she honed her skills in client relations and business development. After a hiatus to focus on raising her sons, she re-entered the industry in a sensory role at McDonald's Corporate. Her subsequent work at Jimmy Dean / Tyson Foods involved carrier breads, adding experience in food product innovation. A brief stint at Newlyweds Foods saw her developing English muffins, before joining Tate and Lyle.

Heather is currently a Technical Service Account Manager at Tate and Lyle, focused on snack foods and alcoholic beverages. Her varied background and extensive industry knowledge have made her a valuable asset in her role, on what she affectionately calls the "party team," reflecting her enthusiasm and passion for her work.

American Society of Baking Website: https://asbe.org/

BakingTech Website: https://asbe.org/bakingtech/

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In this episode we've "escaped" our ordinary format to talk with three amazing guests at once:

• Clint Stevenson, NC State Professor and Distance Ed Coordinator
• Dave Seddon, Co-Founder and Chief Safety Officer at FoodReady
• David Wilson,  Chief Creative Officer at Intoxicated by Riddles and Co-Founder of the True/False Film Fest

The topic?  Clint, Dave, and David's collaborative project using the concept of escape rooms to teach food safety skills.  For the beta-test, they let faculty and staff try out the escape room on day one (lot's of fun, I must say), then unleashed students into rooms with three unique scenarios on day two.  Can't wait to see what they do with this escape room concept in the future.

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To start out the new year, we're recapping PodFest 2026, which wrapped in mid January and looking ahead to BakingTECH 2026.  Podcast was about every type of podcast and every aspect of podcasting you can think of, while BakingTECH is really focused in on the commercial baking industry.  In this episode, we talk about some of the surprising and cool things about PodFest, including what Pecha Kucha is and training with stand-up comics.  To our surprise and delight, we were invited to both conferences because of the WDFS podcast.

PodFest 2027 (just in case you'd like to go next year) https://podfestexpo.com/

BakingTECH2026 (in case you'd still like to go) https://asbe.org/bakingtech2026/

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It has been a great 2025 for WDFS.  We spoke with wonderful, highly accomplished guests who provided a plethora of good advice about food science careers, about professionalism, and about life.  We welcomed Stella as our podcast editor.  We had our first Spanish/English bilingual podcast.  We were pleasantly surprised to be invited to do a live podcast at the American Society of Baking annual conference.  Incredibly (for us, anyway) the podcast is now heard in 107 countries around the world.  So much to be grateful for.

In this episode we decided to interview one another about the year that was 2025.

We hope you enjoy this last WDFS podcast episode of 2025 and look forward to great new interviews in 2026.

Until then, keep Wolfing Down Food Science!

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Dr. Arnie Sair is a third generation Ph.D. food scientist, a returning guest to WDFS, and Head of Global Quality & Food Safety at Bunge.  Arnie returns to WDFS with a new endeavor: the Core Ready™ leadership program.  Core Ready is focused on building the soft skills and leadership habits students need to thrive in the workforce from day one using the FORM TUF ABS™ approach.  In this episode, Arnie explains what each letter of FORM TUF ABS™ means and how each skill benefits early career advancement.  With a career path that has allowed him to grow as a leader and facilitate that growth in others, he is uniquely positioned to offer success to those just entering the workforce, as well as those looking to add new skill sets.

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Join us as we sit down with Dr. Chris Daubert, who brings a wealth of experience from every corner of the Food Science world.

Currently serving as Vice Chancellor and Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri Columbia, Dr. Daubert shares his unique career path—from his roots in agricultural engineering and becoming a recognized expert in rheology (the study of flow), to his pivotal roles as Department Head at NC State (2010-2017) and most recently, President of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

Join us as we explore the evolution of his leadership style, the crucial differences between leading a department versus an entire university college, the major challenges facing food science leadership today, and his top advice for students interested in leading the next generation. Don't miss this insightful look into the forces shaping the future of food!

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