E3S Eurosense Student Pieter Punter Award 2026 – Chiara Chirilli
EuroSense 2026 was a truly inspiring experience and a special moment in my journey as an early-career researcher. It offered a valuable opportunity to share ideas, meet researchers from the sensory science community, and reflect on how sensory and consumer science can contribute to a deeper understanding of food perception, experience, and choice. Receiving the E3S EuroSense Student Award dedicated to Pieter Punter was a great honour, and I am sincerely grateful to E3S and to the Award Committee for this meaningful recognition. Presenting my PhD project in Oslo was a particularly meaningful moment, as it gave me the opportunity to share the main outcomes of a research journey focused on how individual differences in oral perception shape sensory experiences and food-related behaviours. I have now started a postdoctoral position at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, where I will continue exploring how individual variables, product characteristics, and contextual factors shape food preferences and consumer choices, with a focus on healthier and more sustainable diets.