My research aims to make cheese more climate-friendly

The research can contribute to …

… changing our eating habits for the better by introducing a greener alternative to conventional cheese that matches it in terms of nutrition and taste. Most plant-based cheese alternatives currently lack the high nutritional quality and taste we aim to achieve with our hybrid cheese. It should therefore be a good choice for people who want to live more sustainably without compromising on taste.

Furthermore, the aim is to produce the hybrid cheese in the same dairies that currently produce conventional cheese. This is also better for the environment than building entirely new hybrid dairies. Of course, some extra machinery would need to be installed, but this would cost a fraction of what it would cost to build something entirely new.

Ideally, such a system would allow the people employed in the dairy industry to be involved in the transition without completely disrupting the sector.

I get new ideas for solutions when I …

… observe what is already around me. I am currently very keen to find new moulds in which we can ferment the hybrid cheese, as we would like to produce some larger cheeses, partly to test whether this affects the quality of the cheese. That’s why I spend a lot of time trawling the internet for cheese moulds, and my searches have led me to the most peculiar online shops for cheese enthusiasts who make their own cheese.

It’s been a good day at work when … 

… I’m busy, but not too busy. There’s nothing worse than having nothing to do, but it’s no fun either to be so busy that there isn’t even time for a cup of tea with my colleagues and students, for example.

I switch off from work when …

… I can put my green fingers to work. I’m lucky enough to have a balcony at home with edible plants, including tomatoes and blueberries, and I enjoy watching them grow. It’s my way of being more sustainable and circular with food.

I became a PhD student at DTU because …

… I like science, and I realized this quite early on in my school days. I came to Denmark on an exchange from Switzerland during my master’s degree, and I ended up staying because I was given the opportunity to work on this very project.

As a new employee, I was surprised by …

… realizing that now I’m the one calling the shots. It’s my project, and I’m the one the students turn to for advice. It’s both daunting and overwhelming, but also really motivating. I feel I’ve found my place.

In the future, I’d like to work on …

… something that has a greater impact on society. I enjoy doing research, but part of me hopes that, in the long run, I can use my research to advise decision-makers.

For example, I can well see myself in the role of research advisor in a political organization such as the European Parliament. I would like to share my knowledge and that of my research colleagues with more people, so that it can really make a difference.