With over 25 years of experience in teaching and research at various universities, including the Institute of Applied Production Sciences at FH JOANNEUM, Barbara Pöllinger-Zierler brings extensive expertise to the table. She has been involved in both degree programmes since their inception and has set herself the goal of increasing the visibility of the ‘Sustainable Food Management’ and ‘Food: Product and Process Development’ degree programmes: ‘It must be clear that there is no way around FH JOANNEUM and therefore our degree programmes when looking for an applied education in the food sector.’
Together with her team, she is currently working on the implementation of new Bachelor’s and Master’s curricula that meet the increasing requirements in the areas of sustainability and innovation as well as the needs of industry and students. Particular attention is being paid to increasing practical relevance and the use of technological approaches in order to optimally prepare graduates for management positions in the dynamic food industry.
Another focus for the programme director is the continuation of excellent and interdisciplinary research with many renowned national and international project partners. ‘The combination of research and the involvement of students in research issues with lecturers who not only impart their knowledge, but also passion and creativity, provides the basis for training our students to become designers in a world that is increasingly reliant on sustainability and innovation,’ says Barbara Pöllinger-Zierler.
Barbara Pöllinger-Zierler, microbiologist, PhD in food chemistry, human sensory scientist and project manager, completed her studies at the University of Graz and Graz University of Technology. Among other things, she worked for 17 years at the Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry at Graz University of Technology.