In this series, we're sitting down with Swette Center affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Faculty Profiles page. Read on for an interview with Emily Holleran, Instructor in the School of Sustainability.
How did you first become interested in food systems?
When I was an undergrad, I did a Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment to help me figure out what I should focus on within my career. The very first option it recommended was to be a farmer. I was not at an agricultural university, and I was studying business, so I was initially shocked by that. I didn't understand it at the time, but it always stuck with me. The way I connect with farmers, even to this day and throughout my career, helps me understand why it recommended that as a career for me.
That was the first inkling I had that a food systems career might be for me, but what really got me started was working as a supply chain management consultant out of my undergraduate university, where I worked with several national grocery chains. That was my first introduction to understanding how food got on our plates. I learned a lot through that job, which made me curious to better understand how our food systems work. I ended up quitting to go back to school, but while I was getting my graduate degree, I worked at a farmer's market. That's when I really started working directly with farmers, and I used my supply chain experience to connect them to local organizations like restaurants and even government cafeterias.
Can you share a glimpse of your current research and how it relates to food systems transformation?
I’m currently working with an organization called National S.T.A.R. – Saving Tomorrow's Agricultural Resources, where I lead the science development and research on conservation practices in the U.S. Rocky Mountain Region. My work focuses on building scientific evidence behind practical, on-farm conservation techniques that improve soil health and water quality. But we, of course, want those recommendations and those suggestions to be rooted in science.
What I've been working on for the last couple years is reviewing the science by completing a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed literature on conservation practices and how they impact resource concerns. For example, if we’re analyzing soil health, we might compare how soil structure changes under no-till versus conventional tillage. We can quantify the impact by comparing the baseline practice (in this case, tillage), to how key soil indicators (such as soil organic carbon or bulk density) change with no-till.
Ultimately, our goal is for the farmer to receive a score, like a star rating, with the idea being to build a larger market-based incentives program where these producers are encouraged to implement these practices.
I've reviewed over 800 studies, but there are still a lot of gaps in the research. I also balance all of this with interviewing and surveying local stakeholders. I’ve worked with several state departments to get real on-the-ground expertise because science isn't perfect, especially in this living agricultural dynamic. This work connects directly to food systems transformation because healthier soils and improved water quality support long-term agricultural productivity and resilience.
What’s an innovation in food systems you’re excited about?
I'm really excited about the research going into DNA and molecular tools to understand the soil microbiome, and what these soil microbes’ functions are within the soil. There's a lot we still don't know. I'm very much a soil nerd!
I also think we're moving towards transparency and accountability within the food system, which is always a good thing. Transparency is becoming more prevalent, and new tools like blockchain will hopefully allow consumers to use their dollars with more confidence.
What’s your favorite weeknight meal?
It changes all the time, but right now I'm really into this recipe I made up, which I suppose you could call a fajita bake. It’s versatile; I can change up the vegetables and protein to fit whatever I have. I need meals during the week to be easy, especially around dinner time, so I do a big batch on Sundays and eat it in different ways throughout the week. I can put it on salad, I could put it in a tortilla, or I could just eat it as a casserole. Plus, I really like spicy things, so I can add hot sauce to it.
I also just love pasta! A good spaghetti with a simple marinara sauce always hits the spot too.