Explaining “”chemistry through rheology”” best summarizes the philosophy of my food engineering research program. My interests are directed towards the explanation of the physical chemistry, molecular-level interactions, and functionality of food systems through an understanding of rheological behavior, while solving problems facing the food and pharmaceutical industries. Graduate students have the opportunity to work on new and exciting projects, such as tribology in oral processing and food manufacturing, smart gels, and interfacial and foam rheology. A current project modelling the true dissolution of hard candies and lozenges during mastication, accounting for contributions of pressure and shear as well as thermodynamic variables, will broaden my research program into the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries. Students in my program will develop critical thinking skills as well as rheological expertise in mathematical modeling, rheometry, and experimental design.