The Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Marcia English as its new President. Her term officially began on July 10, 2025.
Dr. English is an Associate Professor at Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. She holds a BSc (First Class Honours, Co-op) in Biology from the University of New Brunswick and earned her PhD in Food Science from Dalhousie University in 2017. Since joining the Department of Human Nutrition in 2014, she has led research and supervised numerous undergraduate and graduate projects, with a focus on food chemistry, microbiology, and product development.
Currently, Dr. English holds a Canada Research Chair in Protein and Flavour Chemistry, with her research dedicated to advancing the science of plant-based foods through an exploration of protein-flavour interactions.
A long-time member of CIFST since 2011, Dr. English has contributed to a wide range of volunteer roles. She has served on the CIFST Board of Directors since 2021 and has acted as the Section Advisory Council Liaison for the past two years. From 2024 to 2025, she also served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Panel. Dr. English has played an active role on the CIFST Conference Committee in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2025, and has led the organization and facilitation of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competitions at the Canadian Food Summit conferences in Guelph and London, ON. Previously, Dr. English was the Secretary of the CIFST, Atlantic Division.
Dr. English served as President-Elect for two terms under Past President Dr. Yvonne Yuan, Associate Professor in the School of Nutrition at Toronto Metropolitan University.
As CIFST enters this new chapter, Dr. English recognizes both challenges and opportunities ahead. With the world changing rapidly, she believes the organization must evolve. Her vision for the year is centred on two key pillars:
- Collaboration – Listening to every voice, embracing diverse perspectives, and working together as a unified team toward shared goals.
- Impact – Ensuring that the organization’s efforts result in meaningful and measurable change for all its members.
Dr. English also expressed her gratitude to Dr. Yvonne Yuan for her outstanding leadership and dedication. She acknowledged the service of the board members who have completed their terms, with special recognition for Louis Ayotte, Past President and Chair of the Nominating Committee. She noted their commitment has been exceptional and said she is honoured to follow in their footsteps.