Everyone likes their food a different way. Some people enjoy the comfort of simple, homemade foods that they know the exact taste of while others seek the thrill of creating and trying new and exotic foods. Holly Huellemeier, current FABE graduate student, falls into the second category.
From Georgetown, Kentucky, Holly has always loved cooking. When she’s in the kitchen, she’s constantly exploring her options and finding out new recipes and ingredients from outside the box.
“I think food is such a powerful part of our world—it provides subsistence/nutrition, yet it is also a vehicle for communication and culture,” says Holly.
Education wise, Holly has the natural ability to use logic and reasoning. She inherited this talent from her dad, who is a mechanical engineer. She has always had a connection with her dad in this aspect, as if their brains were “wired the same way.”
Being the food connoisseur and mathematician that she is, she mashed her interests and found THE perfect recipe for her success: food engineering. She likes formal approaches to solving problems and what better types of problems to solve than food ones!
Holly graduated from FABE in May of 2018 with honors in engineering and a specialization in food. She loves the major because “it is small, but growing, flexible/open-minded in where you can take it in terms of a career. It is also unique, part of CFAES and CoE. It also located on a smaller community away from the hustle and bustle of central campus.”
She started her combined BS and PhD program in the spring 2018 and is currently a first year PhD student studying under Dr. Dennis Heldman.
Why would she want to go to school for even longer? Because she wants to learn more. Her plan in the future is to eventually conduct engineering research and development for large scope companies.
Just because she’s fused two of her passions into her academics doesn’t mean she’s short on time for her other hobbies. You can find her either playing pick-up basketball at the ARC on campus or walking her brand-new cat, Solomon, outside the classroom.
“Work hard in school, but always take time for yourself—balance in life is very important!”
Holly is also heavily involved with her church, Fishinger and Kenny Church of Christ, and its college ministry, Buckeyes for Christ.
Words of wisdom she would give to students seeking to further their education:
“If you want to pursue higher education—learn about the combined MS/PhD/BS program early. Reach out to Candy McBride for more information. The combined program is a great way to get a head start and ease into your graduate studies. Also, get an internship at a company you could see yourself working in after college, find a mentor, and figure out what it takes to get to the position you want to get to in your selected field.”
By Helena Nguyen, FABE Student Communications Assistant