Letters / Erasmus Mundus Scholarship- FOOD4S Joint Master degree- Motivation letter [2]

Thank you in advance! This is a motivation letter for the program EUROPEAN MASTER OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY, AND BUSINESS. I don't know if it's a proper motivation letter for applying!

BiFTec-FOOD4S APPLICATION ESSAY

Adaptation and "new adventures await" are phrases that I have become accustomed to hearing throughout my life. This idea became clear to me at the age of 3 when I started moving to new cities because of my father's work. Being raised by a military father helped me develop adaptation skills at a young age. Changes have been a key part of my life and at every point in my academic career but I would say that the greatest test I have faced was during my bachelor studies. Six years of undergraduate education in Mexico, including a decision to change the focus of my studies, a year-long sabbatical spent living with my parents on the Korean Peninsula and two years living as an independent student have made me develop maturity in decision-making and interest to pursue higher education to keep learning to contribute to society through science. The world today is burdened by endless challenges, such as climate change, global health crisis, and food security to name a few, making it more important than ever to create meaningful long-lasting solutions that develop a positive impact on society and to preserve our planet for future generations.

I am a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biotechnology Engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM). Throughout my studies, I was granted a scholarship from the Mexican Secretariat of the Navy for my academic achievements/because of my academic performance. Besides my interest in science, I have always been passionate about food. This enthusiasm for food started me on my journey of studying a Bachelors in nutrition, but shortly after embarking on this journey, I realized that I wanted to make a difference by innovating through science. Since a Bachelors in Food Engineering wasn't offered at the Mexico City campus, I chose Biotechnology, but I always knew food-related topics were what inspired me the most. Three years after starting my studies in Biotechnology, I made the difficult choice to move to Queretaro to pursue this passion. This transition brought a lot of personal growth and the opportunity to enroll in elective courses related to food science. Every decision has helped mold me into who I am today. My major allowed me to acquire a multidisciplinary education in areas with enormous potential which planted a strong interest in food technology, food waste, and sustainable food solutions.

I want to pursue the European Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems Engineering, Technology and Business (BiFTec-FOOD4S) as I am confident that, with my background in biotechnology and engineering, plus my international perspective and my analytic skills to write research topics will help me move towards my goal of developing innovative bio-packaging solutions. Through these solutions, I hope to achieve food safety and therefore reduce food waste, which will then have a long-term environmental impact by decreasing carbon emissions.

We are at a critical point in which, especially these days after the COVID-19 outbreak, people worldwide are increasingly becoming conscious of their impact on the environment and more consumers are finding sustainability. We must start innovating in order to reduce industrial and society waste, and I want to take part in it, so I am looking forward to engaging fully in the syllabus offered by the BiFTec-FOOD4S. Through its program, I aim to explore sustainability in food systems, and after obtaining my graduate degree, I am interested in adapting the knowledge acquired through this program to Mexico's unique context or in a European company. Studying through the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship will be a stepping stone towards achieving my career goals and growing knowledge to create a better future for my society through science.