During a transformative Fulbright experience at Università degli Studi di Salerno, Professor Gönül Kaletunç, advanced food engineering education and research, leaving a lasting mark on both faculty and students. “Disseminating knowledge in-person, using mathematical tools and virtual laboratories, was a rewarding way to encourage critical thinking,” Kaletunç reflected, describing her hands-on approach to teaching graduate-level courses with MATLAB in Fisciano, Italy from October 7 – November 17.
A major outcome of the experience was the introduction of Entrepreneurial Minded Learning (EML) to Salerno’s faculty. “We’re now developing content for 8-10 hours of EML lectures, focusing on curiosity, connections and creating value,” Kaletunç explained. This initiative, supported by Professor Marra, Kaletunç’s host and Professor Procentese of Industrial Engineering Department, is set to reshape engineering education at Salerno by fostering innovative thinking and practical application.
Research collaboration was also a highlight. Kaletunc delivered a seminar on ultrasonic compression for nutrient bar production, sparking new interest in emerging food technologies. “Transferring research knowledge and innovative teaching approaches from the United States to Italy has opened new doors for collaboration,” she noted. Visits to research laboratories and discussions with faculty and graduate students led to ongoing projects, including the characterization of food product compatible biohydrogels and encapsulation of bioactive compounds.
The Fulbright experience extended beyond the classroom. Kaletunc facilitated a virtual webinar on digital tools for the food industry, attended by 40 Society of Food Engineering members, and initiated plans for student and faculty exchanges. “I plan to bring Italian students to my laboratory and encourage Ohio State students to pursue Fulbright opportunities abroad,” she said. Discussions are underway to establish study abroad programs and collaborative research with both the University of Naples and University of Salerno.
Kaletunc concluded, “This Fulbright was not just about teaching—it was about building bridges for ongoing innovation and global partnership.” The outcomes of her Fulbright experience promise to benefit students, faculty, and the broader field of food engineering for years to come.
A two-time Fulbright U.S Specialist recipient, Kaletunç shared her expertise on “Advanced technologies in encapsulation of bioactive compounds: Research and academic approach” via a 2023-2024 Fulbright U.S. Specialist grant to the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia.
A professor of food engineering in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Kaletunç is also faculty in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Food Science and Technology and she serves as director of faculty development and mentoring in the College of Engineering.
Fulbright
The Fulbright Specialist Program is administered by World Learning and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
For more information about the Fulbright Specialist Program contact Joanna Kukielka-Blaser. View a complete list of Fulbright recipients.