Hayriye Cetin-Karaca, Ph.D.

I attribute my success to helping public health and food science, and to providing healthy and safe wholesome food to all communities. The most valuable thing for me is to be able to help public health and contribute to human nutrition as well. I see that in recent years, our diet has changed a lot and we've started consuming more processed foods and more convenient fast food. My passion is to help provide healthy and nutritious food to all populations, not just specific sections of the population, but to the entire population, so everyone can afford wholesome, healthy, and safe food.

The best career advice I received was to believe in myself and know my potential and that I'm capable. As long as I believe in myself and do my due diligence, there's nothing that I cannot achieve. Success comes with believing in myself, setting goals and then working toward those goal. Through years and experience, I've learned not to let anyone distract my mind, no matter what they say, and just focus on my goals. I believe in myself and then just do due diligence and work hard to achieve that.

My advice would be to invest in themselves. Don't get intimidated by different professional areas, especially those with male dominance, like the field I am in. Food manufacturing is maybe only 10% female, and that was something I got intimidated by at the beginning of my career, but then I've figured that this is not something that will create setbacks. We need to keep in mind that we are enough, actually, it's not we are enough, we are more than enough. We are capable and stronger than we think we are. I would suggest young people entering their careers, invest in themselves don't be intimidated by the senior professionals, especially with the male co-workers or colleagues they have to work with. Focusing on their personal growth and development in both workplace and personal life would open so many doors.. That's very important. At the beginning on my joruney with my current job, because of the male dominance and no mentors to guide me to get my voice heard, I've struggled as a young female in the field. Eventually, I've learned investing in myself, both personal and business growth and development helped me climb the ladder. Keep focused, never stop, and never get intimidated.

The biggest challenge in my field is navigating company approval processes, including legal clearance, and addressing employer unfamiliarity with new platforms and concerns about professionalism. A key opportunity is leveraging platforms like Influential Women to gain visibility and share that recognition, enhancing both personal and company reputations.

The most important values are contributing to science and public health while having a work-life balance at the same time. Having a job that I am passionate about which offers career growth and development while accomodating my personal life is very important. So my passion is to help provide healthy and wholesome food to all populations, not just specific sections of the population, but to the entire population, so everyone can afford wholesome, healthy, and safe food.