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College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

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Emily E. Thimmes

Emily Thimmes EMILY THIMMES 

Department of Food Science and Technology 
Food Science and Technology 
Piqua, OH 

2022 Distinguished Senior Award Recognition Reception Program (.pdf) 

2022 Distinguished Senior Award Recipient Reception Poster (.pdf) 

Having made the Dean’s List five times throughout her undergraduate career, it may be surprising to learn that Emily Thimmes’s greatest sense of accomplishment came from receiving an A in just one class: Dr. Simons’s Measurement of Food Perception and Liking, FDSCTE 5500. The class proved challenging beyond her expectations, and Emily found herself putting in extra effort that had not been necessary for other classes, attending office hours nearly every week to help her grasp the complex and unfamiliar statistics involved. In coming up against concepts she had no prior knowledge of and that did not come naturally, Emily was truly challenged; by rising to the challenge and eventually excelling in the class, she gained an even more meaningful mastery of the subject matter. 

Academically, Emily thrived throughout her undergraduate career, perhaps no more so than during her product development capstone experience. Through this course, she gained a clear image of what a future career could look like, not only from a scientific perspective, but from a business and operational perspective as well. In addition to her coursework, Emily served as a research assistant to a PhD student in Dr. Vodovotz’s lab, working on a dough extensibility project.  

Her combination of academic and lab experience led Emily to an internship at T. Marzetti Company where she served as a Quality Assurance Analyst. She gained valuable hands-on experience, learning the QA auditing process, troubleshooting product quality issues, and witnessing first-hand how the company managed operations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Emily was voted employee of the month in June 2021 by her coworkers and supervisors. The experience improved her ability to work and collaborate with a diverse team, led to better and more practical decision making, and grew her self-confidence in the lab setting.  

As her mentor, Emily would like to recognize Dr. Mary Kay Pohlschneider. Emily recalls, “From the beginning of my time here at OSU, she made it feel like home. Going through Intro to Processing was my first taste of real food science, and she made it so easy to fall in love with. Since then, she has always been able to chat, help with any issues I'm having, guide me with internships, and has been integral to the Food Science Club as our advisor. I honestly couldn't have done the Farm Science Review without her and I am forever grateful for the friendship, advice, and support she has given me all four years at OSU.” 

Emily’s extensive involvement on campus includes her work as an RA her sophomore year and service as a Food Science Peer Mentor. Her membership on OSU’s IFT College Bowl team, which placed third nationally, numbers among her most enjoyable undergraduate experiences. After graduation, Emily plans to enter the workforce, pursuing employment in either research and development or product development. 

Service, involvement, and accolades: Food Science Club, treasurer, president | Ohio State Welcome Leader | Science Olympiad | Food Science Peer Mentor | OSU College Bowl Team | Morrill Tower Activity Board, advisor 

Emily Thimmes - Press Release