Bio
Hi! My name is Joel Girton Sufianto, and I’m currently a sophomore in the Food Science Program. I was born in LA but grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, before coming here for college. My favorite food is rendang, a spicy beef stew-like dish from home that’s been slow-cooked in coconut milk and a bunch of other spices.
I’ve always loved food – not only eating it, but also wondering about it. Growing up in Indonesia, there weren’t many Western food options around, so I’d see things like Garfield’s lasagna on TV and crave to know what it actually tasted like. And it was that curiosity that pulled me into food science: I get to explore why food works the way it does, how to make food better, and most importantly… eat free food from classes and clubs.
On campus, I’m currently active as an ambassador and a member of the Food Science Club. I also currently work as a student researcher at the Food Research Institute, where I’ve been learning about microbiological food safety. UW-Madison has given me the chance to explore my interests in ways that I find really exciting, both in the classroom and outside it, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next few years here still have in store.