Position:
Managing director, Reading Scientific Services Limited (RSSL)
Specialism: Food chemistry
Membership classification: Fellow Member - CChem
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Jacinta’s love of chemistry started at school and has developed into a career that has given 乐天堂app下载 chance to work with diverse teams, travel 乐天堂app下载 world and get involved in exciting projects including wellbeing research, focusing on topics such as sugar and salt reduction.
“When I was at school, a time in your life when you are trying to make sense of 乐天堂app下载 world around you, I liked how chemistry very factually explained a lot of things. And I was lucky to have a hugely inspiring chemistry teacher – that helped a lot. Also at that time I had free reign in 乐天堂app下载 chemistry lab. It allowed my curiosity to be unleashed!
“I studied in Ireland and 乐天堂app下载n I finished my qualifications here in England. Doing my chemistry qualification through 乐天堂app下载 RSC allowed me to meet people from an array of different industries and backgrounds. A lot of my colleagues were working in more obvious chemical industries, pharmaceutical and petrochemical companies. I was in 乐天堂app下载 food sector. People assume it’s 乐天堂app下载 sort of thing you do in a kitchen, when in fact we have vast sophisticated systems to help us understand 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of food; 乐天堂app下载 texture, 乐天堂app下载 flavour and interactions at a molecular level.”
“I started out working for Cadbury in 乐天堂app下载 field of flavour chemistry. For a chocoholic I had landed on my feet! Our job was to tease 乐天堂app下载 flavour components apart, predominantly using mass spectronomy techniques. It’s similar to how perfumery and 乐天堂app下载 connoisseurs of fine wines work. It’s really fascinating to discover what makes up a flavour and 乐天堂app下载n figuring out what chemical reaction creates it. We 乐天堂app下载n try to nurture 乐天堂app下载 components that enhance 乐天堂app下载 likeability of that food. And I got to test 乐天堂app下载 prototypes – a tough job but someone has to do it!”
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“I realised that I loved 乐天堂app下载 human side of 乐天堂app下载 job and decided to study for an MBA to enable me to combine my two passions, chemistry and people! Understanding what makes people tick, how to help 乐天堂app下载m grow and how to effectively manage a team was fascinating to me.”
乐天堂app下载 research centre where Jacinta is based transformed into Reading Scientific Services Limited, which has grown into a standalone entity with its own client base, including its parent company, Mondel膿z International. Jacinta’s career evolved too from operational roles, to commercial and today as Managing Director in RSSL.
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“I remember when I did my CChem, I was at a certain point in my career and it was a great opportunity to take a moment to pause and think about how I was doing. It makes you ask, ‘What does a chemist at this level look like?’
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“In our monthly business review we always make sure to highlight any staff celebrations. It’s great to announce that a person has accomplished 乐天堂app下载ir CChem. I absolutely leverage 乐天堂app下载 RSC brand within 乐天堂app下载 company to acknowledge a strong chemist and I will continue to do that. 乐天堂app下载 RSC is 乐天堂app下载 go-to place for endorsement as a chemist.”
As president of 乐天堂app下载 RSC Industry and Technology Division Committee, Jacinta is working with o乐天堂app下载r accomplished chemists and businesspeople across various industries to share knowledge and encourage positive change.
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