Biotechnology faculty graduate on Forbes list

Justyna Barys who graduated from TUL’s Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences has been listed on the prestigious 2017 30 Under 30 - Europe - Industry Forbes List as one of the most talented young scientists in the world.

Justyna Barys, having graduated with a degree in Biotechnology, landed a job at the European Space Agency in the Netherlands. The biotechnologist has been working on a project called MELISSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) the objective of which is to develop a closed loop system that will make it possible for astronauts to recover food, water and oxygen from organic waste, carbon dioxide and minerals.

'I was listed on the Forbes List because of the research that I have been doing. Specialists who decided whom to include on the List chose me having considered the impact that MELISSA project might have on the future of manned space missions. The Forbes 30 Under 30 List is made in 10 categories. Each of them lists 30 persons who are not yet 30 years of age and who have had major achievements in specific domains. I was listed in the category of Industry', explained TUL's graduate. 'I studied biotechnology and specialised in technical microbiology. My time at the University allowed me to gain solid knowledge base in microbiology, which prepared me for what I do now in my job. Moreover, while working towards my degree, I also gained engineering knowledge which helps me complete my current tasks with more ease and solve the problems I encounter more quickly', added Justyna Barys. 

In an interview for WP Women (WP Kobieta), Justyna Barys told Magdalena Drozdek this about her career: 'During my studies, I looked for internships that would give me an opportunity of landing an interesting job once I graduated. I qualified for an internship with a specialised website. I had a chance to see what it meant to work as a journalist - a job I had dreamt about. I wrote articles about the latest breakthroughs in biotechnology, I interviewed scientists, attended conferences. During one such event, a call for applications for a masters degree at the Polish Academy of Sciences Institute of Physical Chemistry in Warsaw (PAN) caught my eye. I applied successfully. Not that it was not hard as for a year I had to travel back and forth between Łódź and Warsaw but it was definitely worth it. A few months before my masters exam, I went to the United States for a one-month internship. It was an outstanding opportunity for me to get to know a totally different scientific environment. After my masters exam, I worked at PAN for a few more months to finish my research. Then, I started looking for an interesting doctoral programme only to find an even more interesting job opportunity at ESA (European Space Agency).