As we approach the end of the year, we took the opportunity to sit down with our outstanding intern-turned-Laboratory Technician, Zoey Wong, to reflect on her journey with Natural Trace. Zoey shared her insights and experiences from her internship, providing a firsthand look at what it’s like to be part of a company that not only drives technological innovation but also nurtures the next generation of leaders in biotechnology:
“My internship experience at Natural Trace was an immensely fruitful one. During my 3 month work at Natural Trace, I was immersed in laboratory based projects and research work on industry trends that provided me new insights on emerging traceability technology. The food traceability industry was completely unknown to me prior to joining Natural Trace and I was not aware that food safety and authenticity was an increasing problem all around the world that needed an immediate solution.
Despite initial nerves due to having to adjust to a new and unfamiliar environment, the team was incredibly welcoming. CL, the CEO of Natural Trace, was excited to have me on the team and our conversations managed to ease some of my worries. My co-worker and mentor, Alrik, was patient in teaching me about laboratory techniques such as DNA detection methods and other molecular approaches for food traceability. The laboratory projects that I worked on first-hand boosted my confidence and equipped me with the necessary skills to undertake research work independently.
Apart from running experiments in the lab, I was also involved in meetings with potential investors and was even able to assist in the production of Natural Tag with our collaborator, FoodPlant. This was the first time I had stepped inside a food manufacturing facility, and being able to witness the production process broadened my understanding of the work that goes into it. This internship gave me a platform to improve both my technical and interpersonal skills. For example, giving presentations during team meetings refined my public speaking skills. Additionally, I had to rely on my critical thinking skills for the interpretation of experimental results, equipping me with the knowledge and confidence for future endeavours. Natural Trace provided a nurturing environment for me to grow and explore, allowing me to learn so much more than what I had initially expected.
After spending a few months learning about food fraud and Natural Trace’s patented technology, I truly believe that Natural Trace would become a pioneer in the supply chain traceability scene. Working with a team of passionate individuals who all had a clear vision for where they wanted the company to head made me inspired towards this same goal as well, which was why I had decided to keep continuing to work for Natural Trace as a lab technician. I am incredibly thankful to my other colleagues and mentors: Julia, Kirsty, Alex, Chantal and Markus, for all the insightful conversations and meals together.”
Thank you to Zoey for sharing her story, we look forward to seeing what she achieves in 2025!
