In this month’s newsletter, we would like to introduce PhD graduate, Jason Barnes from the College of Science and Engineering.
Jason’s recently submitted thesis, “Food safety inspection: A treatise” received outstanding results from the examiners.
We asked Jason to share what led him to a PhD and why it is important, the most enjoyable and hardest parts of a PhD journey, and what the future holds.
What was the topic of your PhD and why was it important to you?
Foodborne illness is a leading cause of death and disability globally and correspondingly, food safety inspections form a major component of the role of environmental health practitioners. This made food safety inspection practices a prime subject to examine and build practice guidance because it was likely to yield the greatest impact and value for both the regulatory industry and the wider global community.
Tell us about your research
The impact of foodborne illness is a significant challenge for global public health. It is responsible for a substantial loss of lives and livelihoods. Food safety inspections are a key health protection measure employed by governments worldwide to reduce the impact of foodborne illness. Despite the prevalent application of food safety inspections in the regulation of food businesses, there are significant gaps in the understanding of food safety inspection practices, leaving health protection systems vulnerable and subject to assumption and uncertainty. This research bridges these gaps in understanding by defining food safety inspection, capturing a detailed description of current practices, and examining their effectiveness. This newly established knowledge was then used to develop a robust, evidence informed model to guide and strengthen inspection practices. This work is significant as it provides vital guidance to food safety regulators and will assist them to save lives and livelihoods.
What led you to undertake a PhD? What inspired or motivated you?
In my former role as Coordinator of Environmental Health in a local government, I came to realise the distinct need for research and evidence to inform the regulatory practices that my staff and I would undertake every day. While environmental health practitioners are supported with a healthy body of literature on toxicological profiles and exposure measurement, there is very little evidence informed guidance available to environmental health practitioners on how to best perform their roles to protect public health. A PhD was my opportunity to take the first steps in bridging this gap in knowledge, start a conversation about the value of this type of research amongst the environmental health community, and contribute to overcoming the divide that has emerged in our industry between practitioners and academia.
What was been one of the most enjoyable parts of the journey?
I have really enjoyed my PhD journey. It has provided me with a continuous source of intellectual stimulus and opportunity for learning and discovery about the world and myself. It has allowed me to feel like I am making a small but meaningful contribution to society and it has helped me develop some important personal and professional skills.
What was one of the hardest parts of the journey?
Rejection is a staple fixture of academic research. There are days where it can be hard not to take it personally. Nonetheless, rejection is necessary to uphold the strength and rigour of scientific discovery and the generation of sound theory. Without it, scientific quality and progress are lost.
How did you overcome any challenges of doing a PhD?
When I began my PhD, I was warned that it can be a very lonely path to follow. I am ever grateful to my family for their enduring support throughout my studies, with a special thanks to my beautiful border collie Tilly for her companionship. Tilly sat beside me for the hundred of hours it took to complete my research and was sure to take me for a walk when I needed to restore clarity of mind.
How did your supervisors support you during your candidature?
I was very fortunate to be supported by the most wonderful and caring supervisors. They picked me up and dusted me off when I stumbled, pushed me to strive for my potential, gave me space to have meaningful learning experiences and always believed in me. My supervisors were able to quickly identify my strengths and weaknesses and adapt their support to make our relationship highly complementary and productive.
What have you been doing since you completed?
While finalising my PhD, I stepped away from my role in local government to begin a new career in academia. I have now joined La Trobe University to build and deliver a new environmental health undergraduate degree. This change has allowed me to feel like I’m able to make meaningful difference again and it is highly rewarding to watch as students learn and grow on their journey to becoming environmental health practitioners.
How has your PhD helped you in the role you are in now?
Although a PhD has unlocked doors for me to a career in academia, it has also allowed me to develop skills and expand my networks. It has given me new strategies to frame problems and solutions, new approaches to garner support and engage others, and it has given me a platform to share my discoveries with others.
How has your PhD influenced your future career? Where do you see your career heading in the future?
My PhD has unlocked new opportunities for me in terms of careers in academia. It has allowed me to find a new sense of fulfilment and meaning in my work life that I can carry through to my personal life. It has provided me qualifications and skills necessary to begin teaching the next generation of environmental health practitioners and it has helped me establish a research journey that will help to equip this next generation with the guidance, techniques and tools necessary to respond to current and future threats to public health.
What advice would you give to those who are about to undertake a PhD?
I hope anyone considering a PhD realises that it can be a really enjoyable and rewarding challenge. There are lots of horror stories of PhDs gone wrong that can be rather discouraging and while the risk of this happening cannot be eliminated, some careful thought and proactive measures can help reduce the risk of this becoming your experience. Look around to find the right model and provider that best meets your needs, find supervisors that can give you the support you need, think deeply and think often about the architecture of your research, and be stubborn. If there’s something I’ve learnt about a PhD is that while some of it is about intellect, most of it is about getting back up when you stumble, working for progress not perfection, and remembering the best way out of hard times is hard work.
Have you published anything?
https://researchnow-admin.flinders.edu.au/ws/files/50412185/Barnes_Defining_P2022.pdf
https://researchnow.flinders.edu.au/files/106566360/Barnes_Performing_P2024.pdf