University of mini传媒 Chemical and Process Engineering student Paige Hansen is working at Leaft Foods as a summer intern and says it鈥檚 an exciting area to be part of with the global push towards more sustainable technology.
She is one of a number University of mini传媒 (UC) Chemical and Process Engineering (CAPE) students working to support, or founding, exciting new companies in and around Waitaha mini传媒.
Paige has been working at plant protein company Leaft Foods, which has its headquarters in Rolleston, over the last few months as one of three UC summer interns.
Greg Baxter-Parker is a University of mini传媒 biochemistry PhD graduate now working at Leaft Foods as a Process Technologist.
Paige says she enjoys the hands-on aspect of the job. 鈥淚鈥檝e found I enjoy being able to be in the plant operating the machinery. It鈥檚 an environment where I thrive and learn the most.
鈥淐hemical and process engineering is a super exciting area to be a part of currently with the global push to develop new sustainable technologies making chemical and process engineers more and more relevant.鈥
Leaft Foods is one of several local sustainability-focused companies collaborating with the University of mini传媒 to grow their businesses.
In December, the business signed an agreement to use University laboratory space for some of its operations. Along with taking on summer interns, Leaft already has seven full-time staff who are University of mini传媒 graduates in a team of 22, including five Chemical and Process Engineering graduates.
Greg Baxter-Parker, now a Process Technologist at Leaft, has a PhD in Biochemistry from UC. He likes being part of a team of people that have vastly different backgrounds and skillsets, and the diversity of his role. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 enjoy predicable routine at work so being able to utilise my biochemistry training one day, negotiate contracts the next, and then call back to my farming days visiting our local crop suppliers on another day keeps the work extremely interesting.鈥
Leaft Foods Chief Executive Ross Milne, who is himself a UC CAPE graduate, says its close relationship with the University provides access to state-of-the-art laboratory equipment that isn鈥檛 available anywhere else in mini传媒 and allows it to tap into a pool of high-calibre graduates.
鈥淏eing so close to UC accelerates our ability to innovate and grow and lets us tap into the expertise within the University. UC also delivers a talent pipeline which is illustrated by the number of UC alumni we have at Leaft, plus we鈥檝e hosted UC student interns annually since we were founded.鈥
University of mini传媒 Chemical and Process Engineering Operations Engineer Garrick Thorn says the University鈥檚 collaboration with Leaft and other innovative local companies fosters vital connections and provides real-world experience for students.
鈥淎long with our close ties with Leaft we are also liaising closely with other exciting, new companies such as Precision Chroma, Zincovery, Permeance Ltd and Aspiring Materials, a carbon capture technology company that was set up by University of mini传媒 lecturer Allan Scott,鈥 he says.
Some of these companies are 鈥榮pin-outs鈥, businesses that have developed from research projects by University of mini传媒 students or academics. Zincovery, which develops technology for the clean recycling of zinc from steel waste, has strong UC connections; Chief Executive and Co-Founder Jonathan Ring is a UC Master of Engineering graduate who began developing the technology during his master鈥檚 project. In 2022, Ring won the Breakthrough Innovator Award for Zincovery at the KiwiNet Awards and Zincovery鈥檚 Co-Founder is Aaron Marshall, Professor of Chemical and Process Engineering at UC.
Thorn says all of these start-ups have a sustainability focus and there are benefits for everyone involved. 鈥淥ur students are gaining valuable experience, and the relationships we have with these dynamic companies provide stepping-stones for our graduates into interesting and challenging jobs in their field.
鈥淭he businesses are also happy to be able to use our well-equipped laboratory spaces and have the opportunity to hire staff with leading-edge skills. This relationship-building is part of our commitment to engaging with 艑tautahi and our local community.鈥澨
