Dr. Molly Spencer is a Research Director at MMR Strategy Group. She is an experienced sensory and consumer scientist with skills in survey research, sensory claims, advertising claim substantiation, consumer behavior and preferences, food science, and statistics.
Molly’s background includes both quantitative and qualitative research on consumer dietary behavior regarding plant-based foods. Molly has taught Sensory Evaluation of Food at both Drexel University and UC Davis. Her research has been published in the Journal of Food Science, Food Quality and Preference, Journal of Sensory Studies, and Appetite, and she has presented at several conferences. She also served as a reviewer for the Journal of Food Science, Journal of Chemosensory Perception, and Psychology Research and Behavior Management, and is a member of the Society of Sensory Professionals and ASTM International.
Prior to joining MMR Strategy Group, Molly worked in the plant-based food industry, managing and conducting sensory and consumer research. As a postdoctoral researcher, she investigated flavor interactions and perception, as well as consumer dietary preferences and behavior, for the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a renowned institution for taste and smell research.
Molly earned her Ph.D. in Food Science from the University of California at Davis.
Professional Experience
- Sensory scientist, Beyond Meat, 2020-2021
- Postdoctoral fellow, Monell Chemical Senses Center, 2018-2020
- Graduate student researcher, University of California at Davis, 2014-2018
- Graduate student teaching assistant, , University of California at Davis, 2014-2018
- Research consultant, Specialty Coffee Association of America, 2015-2016
- Technical report writer/QC, Tandem Labs, 2013-2014
Credentials
- PhD, Food Science and Technology – Sensory Science, University of California at Davis, 2018
- Bachelor of Science (BS), Food Science with a minor in Spanish, North Carolina State University, 2013