Noah Colangelo '27 (CAHNR) and Eliza House '27 (CAHNR) interned with DEVCOM Soldier Center's Combat Feeding Division (CFD), in Natick, Massachusetts this summer.
Noah Colangelo '27 (CAHNR) presents his summer internship work (U.S. Army photo)
Two College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) students spent the summer working with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Soldier Center supporting nutrition research for soldiers.
Noah Colangelo '27 (CAHNR) and Eliza House '27 (CAHNR) interned with DEVCOM Soldier Center's Combat Feeding Division (CFD), in Natick, Massachusetts this summer.
The Army serves as the executive agent for the Department of War's Combat Feeding Research and Engineering Program, which is managed by DEVCOM Soldier Center.
For House, the internship had a personal importance, as her father served in the military.
"I feel incredibly honored," House says. "I really feel like I'm able to give back to something that was important to my family and still is important to my family."
House worked with the Functional Food & Nutritional Intervention Branch's Armed Forces Recipe Service (AFRS) Team to develop recipes for Dining Facilities, or DFACs, which feed service members in garrison environments on military bases, like during basic training.
"We are trying to create creative recipes within different categories of the difficulty and ingredients needed to prepare them," House says.
Recipes may be quick to assemble and use primarily canned goods ("speed scratch," or more complex and require additional steps, like cutting fresh produce ("scratch"). A meal's nutritional profile is also always a consideration, ensuring soldiers' food supports their health and performance.
"We have to make sure that the nutritional profiles of these recipes are being met in accordance with the guidelines…and that's our goal as nutrition experts - to make sure the general public and these warfighters are aware of," House says.
Colangelo also worked with CFD's food technologists to help evaluate and improve ration items for soldiers while they are in the field. This involved conducting sensory tests and collecting data.
Colangelo also contributed to research projects focused on improving the quality and performance of military rations.
"The biggest thing for me was just learning overall about how research is translated into products with the main goal of supporting the soldiers in the field," Colangelo says.
Both Colangelo and House say they value how the internships with DEVCOM helped them connect their classroom learning about nutritional science to real-world applications.
"I've been able to apply concepts I've already learned while also gaining practical laboratory and research experience," Colangelo says. "I think it's a great balance between classroom learning and real-world research which has been able to give me a better understanding of the industry."
House says that working alongside DEVCOM Soldier Center's team of food scientists and nutritionists opened her eyes to new possibilities for a career in nutritional sciences.
"Working alongside these professionals expanded my view of where a degree in nutrition can take you," House says.
Colangelo says his internship experience has deepened his interest in pursuing research after graduation.
"It has given me a ton of experience working in a professional laboratory environment and has made me understand all the different impacts food science can have on people's health, performance, and quality of life," Colangelo says.
This work relates to CAHNR's Strategic Vision area focused on Enhancing Health and Well-Being Locally, Nationally, and Globally.
