Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition(Department Chair, Professor Anna Han) is operating a major- and career-linked special lecture program to help students respond proactively to the rapidly changing food·and healthcare industry environment and to strengthen practical competitiveness.

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition will hold a total of seven major-based career lectures from October 12 to November. This program was made possible through the National University Promotion Project and support for the clinical nutrition graduate program, and is focused on helping students connect their major knowledge to actual industries, job roles, and career choices.

October 12 marked the first major lecture, in which Professor Yoon‑Sang Choi from the College of Life Sciences at Konkuk University participated and delivered a lecture titled "Insect Foods: Alternative Protein Technological Innovation and IP".

Earlier this spring semester, the department also invited experts from various fields, including geriatric nutrition, clinical nutrition, public institutions, and the food and dietary industry, to run major-based career lectures. Building on past results, it is notable that in the second semester the program has expanded the horizon of career exploration to include the future food industry and health management sectors.

The lectures broadly cover alternative and future foods, sports nutrition, national nutrition policy, and the food industry and research areas of large corporations. Based on the clinical nutrition major, new career fields such as digital healthcare, pharmaceutical companies, and sports nutritionists will also be introduced to broaden students' options.

University researchers, food company officials, field experts, and practitioners participate in the special lectures, presenting multidimensional theory and practice across career fields that Food Science and Human Nutrition can pursue, from insect foods and accounts from the field of food and nutrition policy to practical insights from a professional football club nutritionist and topics such as digital health·AI.

In particular, by directly sharing changes in each field, workplace realities, required competencies, and the processes of preparing for careers, the program supports students in linking the specialized knowledge learned in the classroom with the real world of work.

Through this, students are expected to examine specific job roles and the competencies needed for each area of interest and to design a direction for learning and experiential activities that align with their career goals.

Department Chair Professor Anna Han said, "Each semester we consider which areas students need, and we plan the lectures by meeting invited speakers directly or holding pre-meetings," adding "I hope students will not simply attend the talks but will feel that the department is jointly concerned with their careers, and that the sessions provide ample opportunities to gain field experience and career information in each area."

Meanwhile, the JBNU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition plans to continue expanding field-specific expert lectures and career-linked programs to support career exploration for undergraduates and graduate students and to enhance major-related competencies.