Dr. Julia Low
Details
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Department: School of Science
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Campus: Bundoora West Australia
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julia.low2@rmit.edu.au
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ORCID:
0000-0001-6882-2877
Open to
- Masters Research or PhD student supervision
- Career advice
- Collaborative projects
- Industry Projects
- Join a web conference as a panellist or speaker
- Media enquiries
- Membership of an advisory committee
About
I’m a sensory and consumer scientist with a background in psychology and nutrition. I work across fundamental sensory science, including psychophysical methods and cross-modal perception, and applied research that aims to understand ways to enhance eating experiences through design, technology, and psychological insights.
My research explores how individual differences in flavour perception and eating behaviour are shaped by how people are wired (cognitive traits) and what’s happening around them (context). I’m especially interested in how sensory experiences can be adapted across different life stages, psychological states, and environments.
I co-lead the RMIT Sensory and Consumer Science Research Team and work closely across disciplines to apply sensory science in creative and meaningful ways - whether it’s helping astronauts enjoy meals in space, rethinking flavour in immersive digital environments, or supporting sensory scientists to develop better methods for understanding why we like what we like to eat.
Media
Research fields
- 300602 Food chemistry and food sensory science
- 320907 Sensory systems
- 520406 Sensory processes, perception and performance
- 300601 Beverage chemistry and beverage sensory science
- 3210 Nutrition and dietetics
- 321004 Nutritional science
- 321099 Nutrition and dietetics not elsewhere classified
- 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
- 350601 Consumer behaviour
- 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
- 52 Psychology
- 5202 Biological psychology
- 510999 Space sciences not elsewhere classified
UN sustainable development goals
- 3 Good Health and Well Being
- 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
- 4 Quality Education
- 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Academic positions
- Senior Lecturer
- RMIT University
- Food Technology and Nutrition
- Melbourne, Australia
- 1 Jan 2024 – Present
- Early Career Development Fellow/ Lecturer
- RMIT University
- Biosciences and Food Technology
- Melbourne, Australia
- 24 May 2021 – 31 Dec 2023
- Lecturer (Teaching)
- RMIT University
- Melbourne, Australia
- 1 Jul 2020 – 31 Dec 2020
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Riddet Institute
- Palmerston North, New Zealand
- 2 Mar 2020 – 30 Jun 2020
- Casual Academic (Teaching)
- Deakin University
- Burwood, Australia
- 9 Sep 2019 – 29 Feb 2020
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Riddet Institute
- Palmerston North, New Zealand
- 1 Mar 2018 – 23 Aug 2019
- Casual Academic (Teaching)
- Deakin University
- Geelong, Australia
- 1 Jul 2017 – 28 Feb 2018
Supervisor projects
- Functionality Modifications of Milk and Milk Products
- 3 Feb 2025
- COSMIC-CUISINE: Supporting Astronaut Wellbeing with Multisensory XR in Isolated Environments
- 9 Aug 2023
- Sensorial perception appetite reward affective responses and mood among astronauts
- 19 Apr 2023
- Development and characterization of elderly formula foods
- 20 Feb 2023
- Food perception during spaceflight from Earth
- 28 Oct 2022
Teaching interests
At RMIT, Dr Julia Low has coordinated and taught across a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and international partner programs in nutrition and sensory science. Her current teaching focuses on nutritional physiology and sensory science.
2020
- Sensory Evaluation and Consumer Behaviour (Undergraduate & Postgraduate) – Course Coordinator, Lecturer
- Applied Nutrition (Undergraduate & Postgraduate) – Course Coordinator, Lecturer
2021
- Sensory Evaluation and Consumer Behaviour (Undergraduate & Postgraduate) – Teaching Team
- Sensory Evaluation and Consumer Behaviour (Partnered Teaching - Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine) – Course Coordinator, Lecturer
- Scientific Skills and Communication (Partnered Teaching - Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine) – Course Coordinator, Lecturer
2022–Present
- Nutritional Physiology / Nutrition Principles (Undergraduate, Postgraduate, RMIT Online) – Course Coordinator, Lecturer (2022-)
- Sensory Evaluation and Consumer Behaviour (Partnered Teaching - Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine) - Course Coordinaator, Lecturer (2024)
- Advanced Food Research Project (Postgraduate) - Course Coordinator (2025-)
- Applied Science Project (Undergraduate) - Food Technology and Nutrition Coordinator, Internal Projects (2025-)
Awards & Recognition (Teaching)
- 2023 RMIT STEM College, Digital Educator Award (Commendation), RMIT University
- 2023 RMIT School of Science, Teaching Award, RMIT University
- 2022 RMIT STEM Adobe Creative Cloud Award Scheme Winner ‘Fostering Student Engagement and Learner Autonomy through Storytelling and Music’
- 2022 Outstanding Award in Recognition of Outstanding Achievement in 2021 Teaching Visit Program in China by Australian Education Management Group
- 2021 ‘Excellent Teacher’ by Australia Education Management Group
Research interests
Julia’s research spans both fundamental and applied sensory science, with a focus on how we perceive, respond to, and interact with food across different contexts. She is particularly interested in how psychological traits, environmental cues, and life stage factors influence individual differences in flavour perception and eating behaviour.
Her research topics include:
- Cross-modal and psychophysical methods to study taste, aroma, and texture perception
- Emotional and cognitive influences on food enjoyment and decision-making
- Immersive and digital sensory environments (e.g. VR eating simulations, space analogues)
- Sensory design for ageing populations and isolated environments (e.g. space)
- Technology-enabled tools for sensory evaluation (e.g. GenAI, synthetic visuals, digital social dining)
- Digital enabled learning and teaching
Awards & Recognition (Research & Leadership)
- 2024 RMIT Vice Chancellor Leadership Award - Imagination
- 2024 RMIT Media Stars Top Performer
- 2024 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Membership Award (Very Small Section) - Third Place (Communications Officer)
- 2023 Australian Space Research Conference (Early Career, 1st Prize)
- 2022 RMIT School of Science, Outreach Award
- 2022 RMIT School of Science, Associate Dean Impact Award (Biosciences and Food Technology)
- 2021 Most Cutting Edge and Innovative Award - APAC Scientific
- 2018-2020 Riddet Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship
- 2017 Rick Bell Memorial Travel Scholarship Winner, Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, USA (1 recipient, Early Career Researcher)
- 2017 Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST), Malcolm Bird Award (1 recipient under 30)
- 2016 Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST), Sensory Solutions Tony Williams Sensory Award Winner (1 recipient under 35)
- 2016 Young Investigator Award, International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste, Japan
- 2014 School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Honourable Mention Award for Best Oral Presentation at the 2014 Higher Degree Research Symposium, Deakin University
- 2014 School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, The People’s Choice Award, Three Minute Thesis Competition – Second Place, Deakin University
Media & Public Impact
- Featured in: The Age, Good Food Guide, Herald Sun, ScienceDaily, SBS Radio, ABC, Space Connect.
- In 2024, the project Julia led, Food in Space, reached over 525 million people with more than 640 media mentions, becoming the #1 ranked article of all time for the International Journal of Food Science and Technology (Altmetric score: 864).
- Regular speaker in podcasts and events on sensory science, isolation, and future food.
Recent Press Release
Food aroma study may help explain why meals taste bad in space
Confinement may affect how we smell and feel about food
Selected Media Highlights
Podcast: How to make better meals for astronauts (Space Connect)
Science Alert - Food Tastes Mysteriously Bad in Space, And We May Finally Know Why
Space Time with Stuart Gary (Series 27, Episode 105)
Good Food - It's hip to be square with your wine, as flat-pack plastic bottles launch in Australia
