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Sensory Evaluation Techniques

October 20 – November 5, 2026

Special Live Virtual Offering

SET 2026: 
Live, Interactive, and More Accessible

For this fall’s offering of Sensory Evaluation Techniques (SET), we’re delivering the course live online.

In response to the increasing cost of travel, this 2026 session will be delivered virtually so participants can take part without the additional expense of airfare, lodging, and several days away from the office.

While the delivery format is changing for this offering, the SET experience remains highly interactive and instructor-led, with the same comprehensive content, experienced instructors, and applied exercises that are central to the course.

How This Live Virtual Offering Works

SET will be delivered across six live, instructor-facilitated sessions over three weeks, with each session running from 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ET.

The expanded schedule provides time between sessions to absorb the material, reflect on key concepts, and consider how they apply to your own work—while maintaining live interaction with the instructors and other participants.

And SET remains hands-on. Participants will receive the Sensory Evaluation Techniques, 6th Edition book along with prepared materials for participatory course exercises, shipped directly to them in advance.

A copy of Sensory Evaluation Techniques 6th edition is included in the cost of registration!

About the Course

How does one plan, execute, complete, analyze, interpret, and report sensory tests? This course takes you from foundational sensory evaluation principles through all of those phases of sensory evaluation. Jump into the world of Sensory Evaluation with this extensive, interactive review of sensory methods for execution and analysis of acceptance/preference, descriptive, and discrimination tests. Great for adding sensory skills to enhance a current job and for new hires.

International Participants

Participants located outside the United States will be charged an additional fee to cover international shipping of course materials. Following enrollment, we will contact you with an estimated shipping cost and payment instructions.

Please note that international shipping times vary by destination and may be affected by customs or other factors outside our control. Participants registering close to the course start date may not receive their materials in time to participate in the corresponding live exercises. We encourage international participants to register as early as possible to allow adequate time for delivery.

Who Should Attend

This course is recommended for food scientists, research and development scientists, cereal chemists, perfumers, and other professionals working in industry, academia, or government who need to conduct good sensory evaluation. The course will also supply useful background to marketing research, advertising, and legal professionals who need to understand the results of sensory evaluation.
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What to Expect

  • Six live, instructor-led virtual sessions
  • Four hours of facilitated learning per session
  • The complete SET curriculum
  • Participatory exercises completed together during class
  • Exercise materials shipped directly to participants
  • A copy of Sensory Evaluation Techniques, 6th Edition
  • Direct interaction with SET instructors and fellow participants
  • No airfare, hotel, or travel required
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Live Session Schedule

Session Date Time Topics
Session 1 Tuesday, October 20 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ET TBD
Session 2 Thursday, October 22 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ET TBD
Session 3 Tuesday, October 27 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ET TBD
Session 4 Thursday, October 29 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ET TBD
Session 5 Wednesday, November 4 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ET TBD
Session 6 Thursday, November 5 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ET TBD

Session 1: Tuesday, Oct 20 11-3 ET, Session 2: Thurs Oct 22 11-3 ET, Session 3: Tues Oct 27 11-3 ET, Session 4: Thurs Oct 29 11-3 ET, Session 5: Wed Nov 4 11-3 ET, Session 6: Thurs Nov 5 11-3 ET.
Get to know us

Instructors

Gail Vance Civille 
Founder, Sensory Spectrum, Inc.
Gail Vance Civille has been a pioneer in advanced sensory evaluation for industry, academia and the government for the past 40 years. Ms. Civille is founder and CEO of Sensory Spectrum, Inc., a management consulting firm involved in the field of sensory evaluation of foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, paper, fabrics, personal care, and other consumer products. Sensory Spectrum provides guidance in the selection, implementation, and analysis of test methods for solving problems in quality control, research, development, production, and marketing. As an expert in the evaluation of sensory properties, Ms. Civille has worked with thousands of foods and personal care products using sophisticated consumer and descriptive techniques. She has trained several flavor and texture descriptive profile panels in her work with industry, universities, and government. She is a co-author of Sensory Evaluation Techniques (5th ed.) and the new upcoming 6th edition of this text.
Lee Stapleton
Senior Director of Training and Education
With Sensory Spectrum since 1998, Lee utilizes her 25+ years of sensory science experience as a senior trainer for descriptive analysis & quality, a product focused creative facilitator, a strategic consultant, and an expert evaluator across a wide range of products and ingredients consumers eat, drink, smell, apply, use, and wear. Lee trained as a Food Scientist at Clemson University and N.C. State. She is Chair Elect for ASTM’s Sensory Evaluation Committee E-18 and a member of the Society of Sensory Professionals (SSP). Lee has appeared on television, in print, and online on the topic of sensory evaluation, has presented at numerous conferences, and has authored or edited multiple book chapters in the field of sensory science.
B. Thomas Carr
Owner, Carr Consulting
B. Thomas Carr is Managing Partner of Carr Consulting, LLC, a research consulting firm that provides project management, product evaluation, and statistical support services to the food, beverage, personal care, and home care industries. He has over 40 years of experience in applying statistical techniques to all phases of research on consumer products. Prior to founding Carr Consulting, Mr. Carr held a variety of business and technical positions in the food and food ingredient industries. As director of contract research for NSC Technologies/NutraSweet, he identified and coordinated outside research projects that leveraged the technical capabilities of all the groups within NutraSweet research and development, particularly in the areas of product development, analytical services, and sensory evaluation. Prior to that, as manager of statistical services at both NutraSweet and Best Foods, Inc., he worked closely with the sensory, analytical, and product development groups on the design and analysis of a full range of research studies in support of product development, quality assurance/quality control, and research guidance consumer tests. He is a co-author of Sensory Evaluation Techniques (5th ed.) and the new upcoming 6th edition of this text.
Holly Miller, Ph.D.
Director of Insights, Innovation & Strategy
Holly Miller, Ph.D. is Director of Data Insights & Innovation at Sensory Spectrum. She holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology and has more than 15 years of experience in research design, statistics, sensory science, consumer behavior, and advanced analytics. Her expertise includes experimental design, hypothesis testing, validation methodologies, psychometrics, and data interpretation, with a focus on translating complex evidence into sound business and research decisions. At Sensory Spectrum, she leads initiatives related to data strategy, panel validation, quality systems, and analytical methods. As an instructor for the Statistics and Validation sections of the SET program, Holly emphasizes practical application, risk-based decision making, study planning, and the effective use of data to support sensory conclusions.

Course Lessons