Teaching

Foundations of Human Nutrition (Allegheny College). An introduction to the science of human nutrition. Students explore nutrients, their actions and interactions in the body, their absorption and excretion, and their relation to health and disease. Students investigate nutrient requirements and how they differ depending on age, sex, life-stage, physical activity, and disease states. Topics include macronutrients, micronutrients, energy metabolism, nutrition through the life cycle, prevention of chronic disease, and food safety. Students will analyze dietary adequacy and quality, explore data about population dietary patterns, and use case studies to explore both clinical and public health nutrition topics.  This course is designed to support an RN program and other allied health fields. 

Economics of Food and Agriculture (Allegheny College). A study of the economics methods used for food policy analysis. Students apply economics tools to major food and nutrition policy problems around the world. Students explore food production and consumption behavior, social welfare changes, international trade, market failures, and government policies. Through a combination of lectures and seminars, students gain analytical methods and familiarity with data to explain and predict outcomes of the food economy, including trends in poverty, inequality, employment, and economic growth. A 300-level undergraduate elective course, combination of lecture and seminar.

Global Health and Nutrition (Allegheny College). An evaluation of selected global health challenges in nutrition, with particular focus on maternal and child health. Students explore the bio-social origins of various nutritional concerns, including macro- and micro-nutrient deficiencies, food insecurity, food safety, and disparities in heights and weights. Students analyze how nutritional status develops within specific ecological and cultural contexts and examine the ethical and health implications of nutritional disparities. Critical thinking about nutrition science and policy is a key component of this course, as students will examine the evidence base for nutrition interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of various policies to improve nutrition and health outcomes globally. A 400-level undergraduate capstone course, seminar format.

Global Health Data and Visualization (Allegheny College). An exploration of publicly available quantitative data related to global health and development from individuals, families, and countries around the world. Students learn how to find, organize, and visualize publicly available data, as well as practice database management, merging, documentation, and visualization with emphases on data equity and on understanding the underlying processes by which data are generated by various agencies and organizations. Students investigate the benefits and drawbacks of using publicly available data and gain skills to prepare for independent data analysis. A 200-level undergraduate elective course, flipped classroom.

Foundations of Nutritional Epidemiology (University of Edinburgh). An examination of the aetiologies and prevention of diet-related health problems at the population-level. Diet and nutritional status are key contributing factors for the short- and long-term development of disease, including chronic disease, non-communicable disease, and infectious disease. Students will learn nutrition and diet measurement, epidemiologic methods, explore data and interpret statistics, and understand the scientific literature about the connections between diet, nutrition, and health. Key topics include nutrition and diet assessment, measurement error, individual and population variability in food intake, energy intake adjustment, and study design and interpretation. Students will gain an understanding of how findings from nutritional epidemiology are relevant to health and social care. A postgraduate course, combination of lecture and seminar. 

Healthy Eating for People and Planet (University of Edinburgh). This course is an exploration of the principles of human nutrition and the impacts to human health and the food system of a changing climate. Students will look at food, meals, and eating for a healthy body, mind, and planet. Food and diets are key determinants of individual and population-level health and navigating the global food system is more complex than ever given the threat of climate change disruptions, economic inequalities, and nutrition transitions. This course will examine human nutrition science including macro- and micronutrients, digestion, and metabolism, nutritional epidemiology, dietary guidelines, social and cultural aspects of eating, nutrition inequities, and the linkages between climate and the food system. Students will have the challenge of designing and assessing diets with respect to human health and the environment. An undergraduate course, combination of lecture and lab. 

Food Facts: From Farm to Fork  (University of Edinburgh). This course is for people who want to learn how to get to the bottom of contradictory and confusing statements about the food system, eating, and nutrition. Armed with this skill, participants will be able to make informed choices, design better policies, and help create a more sustainable and equitable food system. Learners will explore new topics to challenge popular myths about the food system, using publicly available data and information as an evidence base. Topics covered in the course include food waste, meat, organic foods, local foods, market power, and processed foods. This interdisciplinary course draws from several fields, including nutrition science, agroecology, and economics. A free online Continuing Professional Development course. 

Introduction to Global Health (Allegheny College). An exploration of health and health challenges around the world. Students learn key concepts about human and environmental health from a wide variety of perspectives, including the global burden of disease, disability, the social determinants of health, health inequities, and infectious and non-infectious disease. The collaborative nature of health research and practices are emphasized as are contemporary threats to health such as climate change, resource inequality, changing population structures, and emerging disease outbreaks. A 100-level undergraduate core course, combination of lecture and seminar. 

Approaches in Global Health (Allegheny College). A seminar exploring case studies in global health. Students are introduced to the research methods and modes of communication used in the field of global health. Domestic and international case studies are used to examine how practitioners from various fields (such as medicine, law, and policy) identify, analyze, and respond to global health issues. Students read scholarly research, interpret data, evaluate communication outreach, and explore relevant research methods. Students evaluate sources of information and develop research and communication skills. Ethical, cultural, and interdisciplinary dimensions of global health research and practice are emphasized throughout the seminar.  A 200-level undergraduate core course, combination of lecture and seminar. 

Global Health Challenges (Allegheny College). A study of changing epidemiological environments in less developed regions and an evaluation of interventions to reduce disease and improve human health. Case studies explore culturally specific approaches and strategies. Students examine economic, social, political, and ecological foundations of disease and evaluate whether current strategies and best practices used elsewhere can be applied to these cases. We also review literature that evaluates successes in comparable settings and then research and propose strategies using evidenced-based approaches. Topics may include global food security, environmental change and emerging infectious diseases, megacities, and strategies that developing nations take toward a sustainable healthy future. This class is conducted in seminar format. An advanced undergraduate research seminar.