Shelly J Schmidt

Biography

Dr. Shelly J. Schmidt received her Ph.D. in Food Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1986 under the direction of Dr. Marvin P. Steinberg. Before obtaining her Ph.D., Dr. Schmidt was employed at General Foods in Kankakee, IL for two years. Currently, Dr. Schmidt is a Professor of Food Chemistry in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Department of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL. In 1994-95, Dr. Schmidt spent her sabbatical leave at Tate & Lyle (formerly A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company), in the Research and Development Department and in 2007-08 she spent her second sabbatical leave in conjunction with the Visualization, Media, and Imaging Laboratory, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois developing visual explanations for the courses she teaches and teaching Water Relations in Foods courses for Kellogg's Company in Battle Creek, MI. Dr. Schmidt has taught numerous undergraduate and graduate food science courses at both the Urbana-Champaign campus and the Chicago and Decatur Food Science Masters Extramural Programs. She has developed two campus-wide general education courses, a Natural Science course and a Composition II course. Dr. Schmidt is also an instructor in the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES) Teaching College Course, a program dedicated to teaching other professors how to teach. Dr. Schmidt has served as a USDA National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Panel Manager and is a former member of the Food Chemicals Codex Committee of the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C. She collaborates with several food industries and analytical equipment companies. Dr. Schmidt has received numerous campus and national teaching and research honors and awards. Dr. Schmidt is a University of Illinois Scholar, a University of Illinois Distinguished Teacher Scholar, and a charter member of both the College of Agriculture Academy of Teaching Excellence and the UIUC Campus Teaching Advancement Board. Dr. Schmidt is an associate editor for the Journal of Food Science Education and was one of the founding members of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Education Division (1997). Dr. Schmidt is a Fellow (elected in 2004) and a professional member of the Institute of Food Technologists and a professional member of the American Chemical Society. Dr. Schmidt's husband, Art, is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They have two children, Robbie and Annie. The Schmidt family enjoys living in the country with their two Australian Shepherds, Shadow and Rosebud.

Research Interest

Dr. Schmidt's food materials science research program uses multi-level analytical techniques, such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS), Dynamic Dewpoint Isotherms (DDI), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to elucidate the relationship between water and solids dynamics (mobility) and the physical, chemical, and microbiological stability and quality characteristics of food systems.