FDSN Spring 2024 Seminar Series: Audarshia Townsend

The Department of Food Science and Nutrition presents its spring 2024 seminar series featuring guest speaker Audarshia Townsend, content director for Informa Markets/Supply Side’s Food & Beverage Insider, who will give a presentation on “A Crash Course in Technical Writing—How to Transform Yourself into a Media ‘Industry Expert’ for Digital Content.” This seminar will take place on Thursday, February 22, from 12:45–1:45 p.m. in room 111 of the Pritzker Science Center.

Abstract

Now that you’ve acquired the skills as a food scientist, you’ll want to share your expertise with the world. Whether it’s your take on artificial intelligence, plant-based innovations, or precision fermentation technology, it’s important to get your message across to as many people as possible. This hour-long discussion—which will include Q&A—will cover the tools necessary to create engaging, educational content with confidence. 

Bio

A lifelong Chicagoan, Audarshia Townsend is a veteran food and beverage journalist who serves as the content director for Informa Markets/SupplySide’s Food & Beverage Insider media brand. Her experience as a visionary editor and writer spans 30 years, with an emphasis in print and digital magazines. Her professional passion is to champion and amplify underserved business communities. She also appears regularly on local and national media outlets to discuss food and beverage trends, most notably FOX-32 Chicago, WGN-TV, WXRT-FM, NPR-Chicago, and the Travel Channel. She is often called on to serve as an expert panelist, as well as a judge for prestigious food, beverage and restaurant awards, including the James Beard Foundation, NEXTY Awards, and Black Women in Food. She continues to write for Chicago magazine, and previously she has written for the likes of the Chicago Tribune, Eater Chicago, Esquire, Essence, Playboy, Time Out Global, and the World’s 50 Best Bars. When Townsend’s not on the eats beat, she’s an avid yogi and meditation practitioner.