蘑菇短视频

Graduate Alumni on the Move: Kritika Gaba

Originally from Northern India, Kritika Gaba moved to the United States in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, to pursue her master鈥檚 degree in biological sciences with a specialization in dairy science at 蘑菇短视频. Today, she is based in Ontario, Canada, where she's built a career spanning research and development, regulatory affairs and food science.

After graduating from SDSU, Gaba began her career with fairlife in Chicago as an associate scientist on the research and development long-term research and innovation team. Nearly two years later, she transitioned to regulatory affairs with Coca-Cola Canada, intentionally gaining experience with the Canadian regulatory landscape as she worked toward building her career in Canada. She now serves as a food scientist with Loblaws, Canada鈥檚 largest retailer, where she works across a diverse portfolio of products and thousands of stock keeping units.

Gaba has also remained active in the food science community through the Institute of Food Technologists, particularly its Dairy Foods Division. Through volunteering, mentoring and supporting professional initiatives, she has found opportunities to give back while continuing to grow within the field.

Reflecting on her career, she says, 鈥淢y career hasn鈥檛 followed a straight path, but every transition has added another layer to how I approach food science today.鈥�

Gaba credits SDSU with preparing her for more than the technical demands of her career. With encouragement from her advisor, Sanjeev Anand, she stepped outside her comfort zone through professional development opportunities, workshops, networking and professional involvement. Her experience with the Three-Minute Thesis competition taught her how to communicate complex research to audiences, while serving as a graduate teaching assistant strengthened her leadership, communication and mentoring skills. Receiving the Best GTA Award made that experience especially meaningful.

鈥淭echnical knowledge may get you into the room, but communication, collaboration, curiosity and the willingness to take initiative are what help you grow once you鈥檙e there,鈥� Gaba shared. Those lessons have continued to shape her approach to her career and encourage her to embrace opportunities beyond her original area of study.

Outside of work, Gaba enjoys spending time with her husband, taking evening walks, hiking, going for scenic drives and exploring new places together. She brings that same spirit of curiosity and exploration to her professional life, encouraging current students to remain open to possibilities and step outside their comfort zones.

Her advice to students considering graduate school is simple: 鈥淪tep outside your comfort zone, explore different experiences and don鈥檛 be afraid to say yes. You don鈥檛 know what is there for you yet!鈥�

Beyond Graduate School Events

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Beyond the Professoriate Events

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Graduate Professionalism Academy

The Graduate Professionalism Academy is an optional, flexible and self-paced program designed to help graduate students build valuable skills while earning badges or certificates along the way. Through the academy, you鈥檒l be able to:

• Boost your resume or CV.
• Build personal and professional skills that last a lifetime.
• Explore current career trends and tools.
• Earn digital badges and certificates to showcase your achievements.

This year, you鈥檒l have the chance to earn credentials from Beyond Graduate School, SDSU Credly and Coursera. Digital badges are verified credentials that recognize your skills, knowledge and accomplishments. They can be shared on LinkedIn, added to your resume and even included in your email signature.

Email your digital badge or certificate to Graduate School before April 1, 2026, for recognition at the Student 蘑菇短视频, Scholarship and Creative Activity Day (SRSCAD).