Building Community Through Engineering: Emilia Huff's Journey of Leadership, Research, and Impact

During her time at Utah State University, Biological Engineering student Emilia Huff has built an impressive record of leadership, research, and service. She was recognized as the Biological Engineering Department's Outstanding Junior (24-25), named Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher (25-26), selected as a finalist for the 2026 Robins Awards Achievement of the Year, and served as president of the We Engineer club during the year it received Organization of the Year at the 68th Annual Robins Awards.

Those recognitions represent some of the highest honors available to students at Utah State University. Yet when Huff reflects on her college experience, she rarely begins by talking about awards. Instead, she talks about people.

"I've always believed more in community than individual results," Huff said.

That belief has shaped her journey from a first-year student unsure of where she belonged to one of the most recognized student leaders in the College of Engineering.

An Unexpected Path to Biological Engineering

Interestingly, Biological Engineering was never part of Huff's original plan. When she arrived at Utah State, she intended to study Mechanical Engineering with an interest in medical devices. Like many incoming students, she had carefully researched engineering disciplines and believed she had already mapped out her future.

"I was actually signed up as a Mechanical Engineering student," she said.

That changed during orientation. While learning about different engineering programs, Huff was introduced to Biological Engineering and encouraged to explore the department. At first, she wasn't convinced.

"I don't really know what I thought it was," she admitted. "It just didn't catch my attention when I first looked at it."

The more she learned, however, the more intrigued she became. Growing up, Huff always enjoyed science. She had taken many of her biology and chemistry courses early in high school before shifting toward more traditional engineering subjects such as physics and statistics. As she explored Biological Engineering, she realized she did not have to choose between her interests in science and engineering.

"When I learned I could still take the advanced science classes I loved while applying engineering principles, that was really a draw for me," she said.

The flexibility of the degree stood out immediately. Rather than following a single path, Biological Engineering allowed students to pursue research, medicine, industry, biotechnology, medical devices, and countless other opportunities.

"It felt like I could make the program what I wanted it to be," Huff said.

That realization ultimately led her to switch majors and begin a journey that would define her undergraduate experience.

Seeing Healthcare Through Different Perspectives

Long before she chose Biological Engineering, Huff had been exposed to healthcare through her family. Her mother works as an occupational therapist, while her father worked in homeopathic, non-traditional medicine. Watching both of them help people exposed her to different approaches to improving health and quality of life.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic changed how she viewed healthcare entirely. Like many students, she found herself spending more time at home and thinking about future career possibilities. During that period, she became increasingly interested in the technologies and innovations that support healthcare behind the scenes.

One unexpected source of inspiration came from watching Grey's Anatomy. While most viewers focused on the physicians and medical drama, Huff found herself fascinated by storylines involving biomedical innovation, medical devices, and engineers working alongside doctors to solve healthcare challenges.

"There was a point where I realized doctors aren't doing all of this by themselves," she said. "There are engineers, researchers, and people creating the devices and treatments that make modern medicine possible."

The realization opened a completely new perspective. She began researching biomaterials, medical devices, clinical trials, tissue engineering, and biomedical innovation. For the first time, she saw how engineers could directly contribute to healthcare without becoming physicians.

"It showed me there was a pathway into medicine without becoming a doctor," Huff said.

That discovery reinforced her decision to pursue engineering and helped her envision the kind of impact she wanted to make.

Building Community Through Leadership

While Huff's research accomplishments are impressive, much of her impact at Utah State has come through leadership and mentorship. As a first-year engineering student, she knew she was entering a field where women remain underrepresented. She actively sought out organizations that could provide support, mentorship, and community.

"I wanted people who had already gone through what I was about to experience," she said.

She found that community through the Society of Women Engineers, now known as We Engineer. What began as a search for mentorship eventually became an opportunity to provide mentorship herself.

Over four years, Huff served as Vice President of Student Affairs (23-24), Vice President of Professional Development (24-25), and ultimately President of We Engineer (25-26). Through those leadership roles, she helped strengthen programs designed to support students throughout their engineering journeys.

One of her proudest accomplishments was helping lead the organization during the year it received Organization of the Year at the Robins Awards. The recognition represented far more than a trophy. It reflected years of work from students dedicated to creating opportunities, support systems, and meaningful experiences for future engineers. For Huff, the award reinforced something she had believed from the beginning: success is strongest when it is shared.

Creating Opportunities Through Evening with Industry

Among Huff's many leadership experiences, one stands out as particularly meaningful. As Vice President of Professional Development (SWE/WE), she led the planning and execution of the annual Evening with Industry, the largest student-hosted networking event at Utah State University.

The event connects students with industry professionals and potential employers, but Huff viewed it as something much larger than a networking opportunity.

"It's helping students learn how to talk about themselves professionally and helping them realize opportunities exist for them," she said.

She understood firsthand how intimidating professional environments can feel, especially for younger students still discovering their confidence. Through Evening with Industry, she worked to create an environment where students could develop professional skills, build connections, and better understand the possibilities available to them after graduation.

The event became another example of what would become a recurring theme throughout her college career: helping others find opportunities she wished she had known about earlier.

Supporting Student Success

Huff's commitment to helping others extend beyond engineering organizations. As a member of Kappa Delta, she served in several leadership roles, including Director of Scholarship. In that position, she worked directly with students to help them navigate academic challenges, develop study habits, and connect with university resources.

Many students entering college after the COVID-19 pandemic faced unique obstacles. Some struggled to adapt academically, while others found it difficult to build support systems and confidence. Huff found fulfillment in helping them succeed.

"It was really rewarding to help people find support systems and figure out what worked for them," she said.

Whether through We Engineer, Kappa Delta, or informal mentoring relationships, she consistently invested time and energy into helping others achieve their goals.

Advancing Research in Alzheimer's Disease

Alongside her leadership responsibilities, Huff built an impressive undergraduate research career under the mentorship of Dr. David Britt and Dr. Elizabeth Vargis. Under their mentorship, Huff earned an Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunity grant (URCO), a Peaks Summer Research Fellowship, and a spot in the Engineering Undergraduate Research Scholars program.

Most recently, her work earned her the department's Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher award, one of the highest academic recognitions available to undergraduate students. Her current research focuses on herpes viruses and their connection to Alzheimer's disease.

Recent studies have identified viral components within amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's, leading researchers to investigate how viral infections may contribute to disease progression. Through support from the Alzheimer's and Dementia Research Center of Utah, Huff is helping develop nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems designed to transport therapies into the brain. One of the primary challenges is the blood-brain barrier, which naturally protects the brain from harmful substances but also makes treatment delivery extremely difficult.

"The brain doesn't want potentially harmful compounds going in and out," Huff explained. "It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do to protect itself."

Her research explores innovative delivery methods that may improve treatment effectiveness and potentially open new pathways for addressing neurodegenerative diseases. The project combines biology, engineering, medicine, neuroscience, and problem-solving, everything that originally attracted her to Biological Engineering.

After graduating, Huff plans to continue this work through a concurrent master's program under the guidance of Dr. David Britt and Dr. Elizabeth Vargis.

Learning to Overcome Self-Doubt

Despite her accomplishments, Huff openly acknowledges that she has experienced imposter syndrome throughout her college career. Like many high-achieving students, there were moments when she questioned herself and wondered whether she truly deserved the recognition she received.

In some ways, she believes success can make those feelings more complicated.

"Even when people see you as someone who's successful, you still have moments where you feel like you're struggling," she said.

Over time, she learned to view success differently. Rather than focusing solely on grades, awards, or recognition, she began measuring success through the impact she was having on the people around her.

One of the things she values most about the Biological Engineering Department is the culture of support that exists among students and faculty.

"You have people to celebrate with and people to struggle with," she said. "That makes a huge difference."

For Huff, success has never been about standing above others. It has always been about helping others rise alongside her.

Looking Ahead

As she prepares to complete her bachelor's degree and begin graduate school, Huff remains excited about the future. She plans to continue her research while exploring opportunities in industry and experiences beyond Utah. Having lived in Utah most of her life, she looks forward to seeing where her education and experiences can take her. What excites her most is the flexibility that first attracted her to Biological Engineering.

"There are so many possibilities," she said. "That's the beauty of this degree."

Looking back, it is remarkable to think that she almost never entered the program at all.

Today, Emilia Huff's legacy at Utah State extends far beyond awards, titles, or research accomplishments. It can be found in the students she mentored, the organizations she helped strengthen, the opportunities she created, and the community she helped build. The awards recognize her achievements. The people she has impacted tell the larger story.