Food for thought - and a career

Heather Nelson BS ’01, MS ’03 has always had an interest in food. No, she doesn’t have an unusually voracious appetite. Her interest is in the name of science, specifically food systems and technology

This first-generation college student came to UW-Stout expecting to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in food systems and technology.

“While a student at Stout,” she said, “I had the opportunity to work in the food and nutrition department office, where I got to know professors in the field and learned about opportunities for internships, which I took advantage of every summer. Over time, the people I met and the experiences I had at Stout inspired me to further my education.”

Nelson went on to earn her master’s degree in food and nutritional sciences at UW-Stout, and then enrolled in a Ph.D. program in food science and technology at the University of Georgia. Currently she is working toward her doctorate, pursuing a concentration in food processing/engineering.

“Food science is a rapidly growing field,” said Nelson. “Consumers will always want more food, better tasting food, and healthier food. The work itself is an amazing combination of chemistry, microbiology and physics.”

While earning her doctoral degree at the University of Georgia, the UW-Stout graduate teaches an online class in food processing to UW-Stout students who are 1,000 miles away from her home in Athens, Ga.

“Teaching online is much harder than I anticipated,” she said, “and it’s a learning experience for both myself and my students. But we are able to have some lively discussions about various topics, and I do get to return to Wisconsin and interact with the students personally.”

To complement the online learning, Nelson comes back to the UW-Stout campus for four days during the semester to teach 32 hours of laboratory activities.

“There is one graduate student in the course who is in the position I was three years ago. She asks for advice about her future, and I can really relate to what she is going through,” says Nelson. “I feel very proud and honored to think that I can in someway help her.”

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