Nutrition Science & Dietetics  News

Kenneth Marfilius, David Meluni and Latha Ramalingam were honored with 2022 Falk College Faculty of the Year awards for excellence in service, teaching, and research, respectively. The honorees were nominated by their peers for outstanding teaching, scholarship, and internal and professional service contributions and announced by the Falk Faculty Council in late April.

Matthew Mulvaney, an associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science and chair of the Faculty Council, thanked all faculty members who submitted nominations and the nominees who provided documentary support for the council’s consideration.

“This is both one of the most rewarding and one of the challenge parts of serving on the Faculty Council,” Mulvaney said. “We had a large number of nominations that came in, all of them were excellent, and all (faculty members) are making very important contributions to the college. It’s always a hard decision and this year was no exception.”

Here’s a look at the 2022 honorees with comments from their award presenters:

Kenneth Marfilius

Director of Online and Distance Education and assistant teaching professor in the School of Social Work
Falk Faculty of the Year Award for Excellence in Service

From presenter Yvonne Smith, associate professor in the School of Social Work:

“In 2021 Dr. Marfilius simultaneously served as director of the Undergraduate Social Work Program and the Online Master of Social Work Program, roles which, in their own right, require extraordinary vision, dedication, organization, and time. In light of his exemplary service, he was named Director of Online and Distance Education. This new position—a first for Falk College—puts him at the helm of five rapidly growing online programs that make Falk College’s graduate curricula increasingly accessible to students across the nation and around the world.

“The significant challenge of designing, staffing, and managing these nascent programs is hard to overestimate. Dr. Marfilius, a veteran of the United States Air Force, has proven to be a steady, competent pilot who can, as we often say at Falk College, ‘build the plane as we fly it.’ In 2021, Dr. Marfilius’ exemplary service was recognized with the Syracuse University Center for Disability Resources 2021 Faculty Recognition Award and the Syracuse University One University Assessment Award for best use of results.

“But his achievements in college and departmental leadership roles are only some of the ways Dr. Marfilius has served our community. He routinely mentors students and serves as a liaison to the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Notably, Dr. Marfilius has emerged as a leading public voice on the mental health needs of returning veterans and their families. He has done all of this while teaching graduates and undergraduates and serving as PI (principal investigator) or co-PI on multiple research and training grants.”

David Meluni

Assistant teaching professor in the Department of Sport Management
Evan Weissman Memorial Faculty of the Year Award for Teaching Excellence

From presenter Jane Burrell, associate teaching professor in the Nutrition Science and Dietetics program:

“Dave Meluni is a teacher who consistently receives excellent student evaluations. He is at the forefront of innovations in teaching, both in terms of classroom practices and course development, to meet emerging trends in the field. He also is exceptionally strong at developing collaborations with high-profile industry leaders to complement course content and provide students with real-world engagement opportunities.”

“In 2021 Dave taught seven courses. As his nomination letter highlights, Dave is an exceptional teacher ‘specializing in courses that are challenging to find qualified faculty to teach.’ Dave teaches students to connect to real-world experiences in sales and marketing that prepare graduates to obtain highly competitive and lucrative employment opportunities. Dave is ahead of the curve in teaching and innovation. A prime example includes the rapid development of a new course, Name, Image, and Likeness, which he created in response to the NCAA’s 2021 ruling that enables student-athletes to monetize their name. This was the first and only such course in the country that provides guidance and tangible skills that will prepare student athletes and their advocates to benefit from their name and talents.

“Dave also brings his expertise to bear outside of the classroom by overseeing the sales club, which was very successful in the National Collegiate Sales Competition. As a teaching professor, preparing highly qualified students and graduates is essential. Dave’s experience in the profession, his infectious enthusiasm, and his willingness to help his students grow and interact with industry make him an exceptional teacher.”

Latha Ramalingam

Assistant professor in the Nutrition Science and Dietetics program
Falk Faculty of the Year Award for Excellence in Research

From presenter Patrick Walsh, associate professor in the Department of Sport Management:

“Dr. Ramalingam, who is in her second year in Falk College, had an extremely productive 2021. She published eight peer-reviewed articles, several of which are in top-tiered journals in nutrition and one in a highly respected journal in the field of cardiovascular sciences. In addition, she co-authored five conference presentations and was invited by Syracuse University’s Department of Biology to give a research talk titled ‘Early life programming of obesity.’ On top of the publications and presentations, Dr. Ramalingam submitted five internal research grants as PI (principal investigator) totaling $48,000, all of which were funded, and submitted an impressive eight external research grants totaling over $1 million.

“Her commitment to research is also evident through the mentoring of students. Her mentorship as advisor to two master’s students in Nutrition Science and nine undergraduate students in her research lab has led to student publications, SOURCE grant funding, and a Pre-Doctoral Fellowship award from the American Society of Nutrition–the first time a Nutrition Science student at Syracuse University has received this honor.

“Dr. Ramalingam notes that her work ‘focuses on the role of bioactives, specifically fish oil, in preventing maternal and paternal obesity. Approximately 30% of the women of reproductive age suffer from obesity. Dietary intervention during this critical fetal developmental window might provide opportunities to decrease the burden of metabolic disease later in life.’ It is Dr. Ramalingam’s research goal is to provide additional scientific evidence to reduce/prevent obesity using non-pharmacological approaches.”

Thirteen members of the Class of 2022 have been named Falk College Scholars. Falk Scholars represent undergraduate students who display academic excellence, exceptional campus and community engagement, independent research and creative work, innovation in their disciplinary field, and personal integrity. Designation as a Falk Scholar is the highest academic award conferred by Falk College on graduating seniors.

We asked the Class of 2022 Falk Scholars to describe their most meaningful experiences at Syracuse University and here’s what they wrote:

Drew Disanto, Sport Analytics

Syracuse has brought me numerous opportunities, memories, and experiences that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. My most important experience was through the Syracuse Soccer Analytics Club. My peers and I started the club during my freshman year, despite knowing very little about analytics or programming. As its vice president, this club was extremely helpful in giving me first-hand experience with data, programming, and data analysis.

Even more memorable was the aftermath of the club. Submitting our club work to various conferences and competitions was exhilarating enough. When our paper started to win and place at these competitions, I was ecstatic. It was validating to see our hard work being recognized and praised by several industry professionals. This club was exceedingly beneficial to my career here at Syracuse, and I do not think I’d be where I am today without everything I learned through it.

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Samantha Jezak, Nutrition Science and Dietetics

Falk College has been a close community for me over the past exciting, rigorous, and innovative 4 years of my life. I quickly became involved in nutrition research my freshman year. It wasn’t necessarily what I had formulated in my head (white lab coat, goggles, combustion); it was literature review, consisting of PubMed readings after readings and discussions with my research advisor, Dr. (Jessica) Garay. Little did I know these readings would lead to the research project that has ultimately defined my career path.

It sounds glamorous to be a “scientist,” but nobody tells you about the tedious work that must be done behind the scenes to bring a project to life. As demanding as it was, I am so fortunate to have the experience of writing, applying, and conducting my own research project, especially alongside one of my most well-respected peers, Olivia Templeton. This research experience has taught me things that can’t be taught in the classroom. I am honored to say that Falk College has molded me into a well-prepared individual for pursuing a career I am truly passionate about. I look forward to continuing to explore nutrition research through a graduate program in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition at Tufts University.

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Preston Klaus, Sport Analytics

Syracuse University has provided me with a multitude of experiences including, but not limited to, a negotiation class in the law school and the first ever Name, Image, and Likeness course in the country (in the Department of Sport Management). However, my most rewarding one has come this year leading the Basketball Analytics Club.

The club introduces basketball analytics in a fun way to a new audience and connects people through sport. I have seen the club transform from a small group of students without structure to a true university community that can carry the club forward. It has been incredibly rewarding to give back to the younger students who want to follow a similar path. Leading this club has transformed my presentational skills and Syracuse University has helped me mature into the person I am today.

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Mackenzie Mangos, Sport Analytics

The most influential experience has been my founding/serving as president of the Sport Analytics Women (SAW) Club. After my freshman year, I saw a need for this club – we only had three females in the entire major! Not only is this a problem in the program, but in the industry as well.

The club serves as a positive advocate for women in sport analytics. It is very rewarding to see the club making a difference and it allows the female underclassmen to have supportive upperclassmen to look up to, something I wish I had when I was a freshman. Syracuse University has helped me to grow as a person and as a leader.

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Nathan Redmond, Exercise Science

One of the most important experiences I have had at Syracuse University is the time I have spent with Syracuse University Ambulance (SUA). I became a member of SUA my freshman year and since then I have been responsible for providing emergency medical care to the Syracuse University campus and the surrounding communities. Within SUA I have held many positions, including mentor to the incoming members. I am responsible for teaching and training new members in the basic skills and assessment strategies necessary for their role on the ambulance.

SUA has been a place of support, community, family, loyalty, and genuine care during my tenure at Syracuse University. Additionally, I have worked as a crew chief, driver, trainer, and special event supervisor, which has been extremely impactful on my development as an EMS provider but more importantly helped to develop my leadership, teaching, personal growth, and public speaking skills. In general, SUA has reinforced my commitment and passion to becoming a physician.

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Dominic Samangy, Sport Analytics

Over the past four years at Syracuse, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to spend each one with the men’s basketball team as a student manager. Being able to work closely with Coach (Jim) Boeheim and his accomplished coaching staff has been an eye-opening experience and has certainly guided me in my development as a basketball professional.

I’ve also spent the past few years collaborating with my classmates and professors on research studies covering basketball and soccer topics. Through such efforts, I’ve had to opportunity to present work at prestigious conferences such as the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Conference, and I’ll travel to London this May to represent SU and Falk College at the 8th Western Conference on Football and Finance. Outside of my time on campus, I’ve also utilized my Falk-driven skillset to serve as a consultant for NBA agencies over the past two NBA Draft classes. All in all, my time at Falk College at Syracuse University has not only prepared me for my future in sports but has provided a family and support system that I am truly grateful for.

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Cooper Shawver, Sport Analytics

The most important experience I had during my time at Syracuse University and Falk College was joining the Baseball Sabermetrics Club. The club inspired my desire to pursue both baseball competitions and research. For example, myself and four other students won the Arizona Sabermetrics Case Competition for our work researching pitchers’ effectiveness for the third time through a batting order.

Also, I am currently finishing my senior thesis on Major League Baseball player valuation. Despite all my experiences at Falk being memorable, the Baseball Sabermetrics Club had the greatest influence on my career at Syracuse University.

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Choyang Lorane Sherpa, Social Work

Throughout my four years at Syracuse University, one of the most influential experiences was becoming involved in Kesem. Kesem is a student-led, nonprofit organization that provides a week-long, free summer camp, in addition to a year-long support system, for children affected by a parent or guardian’s cancer.

Joining this organization my freshman year has granted me the opportunity to grow and develop my skills as a leader. It has undoubtedly influenced who I am as a person, my career goals, friendships, and connections I have made with the community and the families in the Syracuse area.

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Dorbor Tarley, Human Development and Family Science

In my sophomore year, I began an independent research study under Dr. Matthew Mulvaney that explored bias against Black maternal patients. My research focused on investigating the interpersonal factors that might underlie the insensitivity toward Black women in medical spaces. My research experience has led to my involvement with SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement) as a student research mentor, my involvement as a McNair scholar, and my current role as a peer health advocate at Planned Parenthood.

Given the significance of my research findings, I worked with the McNair Scholars Program and SOURCE to present my research locally and nationally. With my research, I was able to funnel my passions into a critically engaged study that might impact medicine’s understanding of the Black maternal health crisis. Overall, my experiences at Syracuse engaging in research and civic engagement developed into a passion for health equity. This passion catalyzed my desire to study public health and get my Master of Science in Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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Olivia Templeton, Nutrition Science and Dietetics

The most important experience I have gained at Syracuse University was piloting my own research study analyzing how diet quality changes when converting from an omnivore (meat-eating) diet to a vegetarian diet. Through SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement), I was able to receive grants to fund the research, which allowed participants to visit the ACE Center (Nutrition Assessment, Consultation and Education) within Falk College for lab visits. Participating in research was one of the reasons I chose to attend Syracuse University, and I am grateful this came to fruition.

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Cathryn Willing, Public Health

As a first-year public health student, I enrolled in the Healthy You Practicum course taught by Dr. Luvenia Cowart. I quickly came to love writing and talking about health issues and found the formula and publication process extremely interesting. After my first semester, in which I was published twice, I reached out to Dr. Cowart to see if I could continue writing for the magazine and the following summer, Dr. Cowart reached out to me asking if I would be interested in a copy editor position.

I attribute much of my successes to the magazine and Dr. Cowart. She trusted me to lead the program, which naturally helped me grow as writer and editor. In my last few semesters working with the magazine, we expanded the magazine’s production team and I was promoted to managing editor. I wrote an article about a new–at the time–faculty member, Dr. Bernard Appiah, and we later became colleagues on a research project funded by SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement). I truly think of Falk College and my public health experience in terms of the magazine and the five publications I was able to oversee from an editorial position. Given the freedom to expand my creativity through writing, editing, and leading is something I will forever be grateful for.

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Megan Willkens, Public Health

The most rewarding experience throughout my time at Falk College was becoming involved with undergraduate research. In collaboration with Dr. David Larsen, I completed a project assessing the association between indoor residual spray for malaria control and child cognitive development in sub-Saharan Africa.

This research led to other opportunities, including my contribution to conduct a survey that assessed the capacity of New York State wastewater treatment plants to support wastewater surveillance for COVID-19, and data analysis with the New York State Health Department to expand the NYS wastewater surveillance program. In combination, these experiences have allowed me to develop skills in research and grow personally and professionally.

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Sewina Yu, Exercise Science

It is difficult to choose just one experience that has been the most important or impactful on me. However, being in Dr. Joon Young Kim’s Clinical Research Lab in the Department of Exercise Science has taught me invaluable analytical and research skills. I was able to present two research critiques at an international conference, submit a proposal for an undergraduate SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement) grant, learn about IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval, and submit a poster for Falk Research Day.

I am so grateful to have had these opportunities and experiences in Dr. Kim’s lab. Along with this experience, working at the Barnes Center as a personal trainer has also helped me apply what I have learned in my exercise science classes to guide clients toward their fitness and health goals. These two experiences taught me skills that will undoubtedly help me succeed at physical therapy school.

Rebecca Garofano

Garofano is actively engaged in research and service with various professional and community organizations. We spoke with Garofano to learn more about her research experience and interest in nutrition:

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am from Syracuse, left at age 18, and returned after about 10 years to care for and be with my mom, who passed away from colorectal cancer in 2018. Outside of being a student, I’m a mom of two young kids, an avid doodler, an aspiring gardener, a decent cook but better eater, and a recent convert to graphic novels.

What sparked your interest in nutrition?
During my time away (from Syracuse) I had the opportunity to learn about agriculture, including working internationally for a nonprofit that does agriculture research and extension for smallholder farmers.

There were multiple culminating dynamics that contributed to this moment, but the specific one when I realized that I wanted to study nutrition science came while working on a research grant, which involved doing nutrition composition analysis of local vegetable species for which that data doesn’t yet exist. We were packing fern samples to ship to the World Vegetable Center office located at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand. My co-workers taught me a lot about food, and collecting and packing these samples, of course, involved taste testing the fern in several dishes that they enjoyed.

Something clicked for me in that moment, and I realized I wanted to study nutrition science because it’s in the kitchen that people and communities express their values, their love for each other, and address issues or concerns that they face (whether in the agriculture field, politically, culturally, or as it relates to health issues). I knew that studying nutrition science would help me understand how agriculture connected to human metabolism. This whole experience was reinforced and deepened when I was caring for my mom, who worked as a family consumer science teacher here in Central New York.

What made you choose SU’s nutrition program?
When I returned to Syracuse, I was so grateful to come “home,” to be by family, and to get to know this community that raised me in a new way. It was important for me to study here, and to do so at Syracuse University has been an opportunity and a privilege I value. It’s been nice that the Nutrition Science program is housed within the same department as the Food Studies program. That cross pollination between the programs, for me, has been very important.

Tell us about your thesis:
My research focuses on the application of integrated measures between agriculture and nutrition, and specifically looks at the somewhat novel metric referred to as “nutrition functional diversity,” using principles of ecological diversity that assess a growing space not just according to the number of species within that space, but also according to the functions or niche role that each species fills. In this case, it’s an opportunity to consider a growing plot (like a home garden) and evaluate the ways that those plants work synergistically, and what potential arrangement of macro or micronutrients they provide to the human who consumes them.

I think one way to describe the question I’ve been considering is the concept of “nutrition resiliency.” While I, of course, bring biases and assumptions to the research on multiple levels, I am compelled by the potential of considering innovation that happens in gardens, fields, and kitchens, and asking how those decisions reflect ingenuity and creativity, and how then that ingenuity is reflected in the complex processes of human metabolism.

Where did this research idea come from?
My research project was very much influenced by the work of Andrea Guzmán-Abril and Stephen Alajajian at the Mayan Health Alliance. I’ve been very grateful to partner with a nonprofit pantry garden based in Immokalee, Florida. Immokalee grows about 90% of U.S. wintertime tomatoes. Some people may be familiar with the unincorporated town because of important human rights and labor organizing work of groups like the Coalition for Immokalee Workers.

As (Falk professor) Laura-Ann Minkoff-Zern so aptly points out in her research, immigrant farmworkers that provide undervalued labor in U.S. agricultural fields are doubly ostracized within emergency food systems, including by way of failing to acknowledge their rich (nutritious) food traditions and the expertise of their agrarian backgrounds. While many farmworkers have difficulty accessing growing spaces because of restrictions that landlords place on their rental spaces, many still garden in containers.

This research project looks at the biodiversity around Immokalee community members’ homes and considers the correlation with dietary data. It also considers the ways that access to “preferred” fruits and vegetables (through pantries, foraging, purchase, or exchange) impacts their diets. One of the research partners, Lupita Vazquez, continues to ask the question of how this research can tangibly support the community that it’s gathering data from. I’ll continue to learn from her and the other people who’ve led the interviews about how best to offer this data to the community there.

Tell us about your mentorship experience at Falk. Has there been a particular person or office that has supported your work?
Faculty mentorship has most definitely been the most valuable part of my studies. Dr. (Lynn) Brann, Dr. (Sudha) Raj and Dr. (Margaret) Voss have all been very supportive and encouraging of me. All three have written countless letters on my behalf and acted as a sounding board for my harebrained ideas!

Dr. Voss as a mentor and thesis advisor has been invaluable. I feel very lucky to have found an ecologist and physiologist within the nutrition science department to guide my learning. She has allowed me the space to grow and has provided the resources and expertise along the way. I didn’t expect to have such a positive an edifying experience with primary research during a master’s program, and her commitment and support have largely made that possible. It’s evident that she cares deeply for her students. While I haven’t experienced other graduate programs or universities, I think the freedom and support I’ve received during my time at Falk College is somewhat unique.

I’ve also been very grateful for exposure to faculty within the Food Studies program. I mentioned Laura-Ann Minkoff-Zern’s work earlier. Estelí Jimenez-Soto has recently joined the department and has been very gracious in including me in research groups along the way.

Garofano at the Syracuse downtown farmers market, where she was an assistant to the Food Bank of Central New York’s Nutrition Educator, a Syracuse University nutrition science alum, in 2019.

Other than what we’ve discussed, what has been your favorite experience at SU?
Growing up in Syracuse, I didn’t spend much time on SU’s campus. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know this city through the lens and work of professors that call it home. Jonell Robinson (geography), Sandra Lane (public health) and the late Evan Weissman (food studies) are faculty members that stick out to me. Their work is rooted in justice and this community in a way that I am inspired by; as I’ve moved about the city, I realize now that I bump up against it, from time to time, without realizing it. One such place is within the Syracuse Onondaga Food Systems Alliance.

What is the most important thing you hope to accomplish in your career long after SU?
To be honest, I think relationships are the biggest motivating factor in my life. I want to become a registered dietitian, possibly start my career by working in clinical oncology, live and work in Syracuse, and be an engaged community member. Aside from that I hope I can improve the biodiversity of my little yard, get to know Onondaga Lake better, and maybe develop a personal (or collaborative) graphic medicine project that is focused on food and nutrition.

Learn more information about Nutrition and Food Studies at Syracuse University’s Falk College, or learn more about ongoing research at Falk.

Graduate student Abigail Picinich (right) submitted one of the winning posters for this year’s Falk Student Research Celebration. She’s standing in front of her poster with faculty mentor Sara Vasilenko.

With a record 66 poster submissions, picking the winners of the sixth annual Falk Student Research Celebration was more difficult than ever.

“I have to thank the (Research Celebration) committee–that was a tough job to decide,” says Sara Vasilenko, the committee chair and an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. “The incredible participation shows the vitality of the research that’s being done at Falk.”

Held virtually March 29, the Research Celebration highlighted students’ research collaborations with their faculty mentors. Undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students who are enrolled in a Falk degree, minor or CAS (Certificate of Advanced Study) submitted electronic posters of completed or in-progress empirical, exploratory, policy analytic, systematic review, or hypothesis-driving research projects using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods for display.

The committee selected nine winners – three each in the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral categories (the winners are listed at the end of this story). Kathryn Gratien, research operations specialist in the Falk College Research Center and a member of the Research Celebration committee, says the winning posters are displayed on the third floor of White Hall in the Falk Complex, across from the Research Center (Room 344).

“Congratulations to all the students and faculty mentors for an outstanding virtual display of research projects,” Gratien says. “We are so excited that the interest and participation in the Falk Student Research Celebration keeps growing each year and thank you to all the students and their mentors for their hard work and high-quality poster submissions.”

The posters were judged by the Research Celebration committee, which is comprised of faculty and staff. Faculty mentors who are on the committee did not participate in rating their students’ posters.

“I want to thank all of the faculty members who were involved in mentoring the students,” Vasilenko says. “There’s so much great research happening at Falk involving students, and that’s something the faculty should be really proud of.”

The poster from Samantha Jezak (left) and Olivia Templeton was selected as one of the three winners for undergraduate students. Their faculty mentor is Jessica Garay.

2022 Falk Research Celebration Winners

Undergraduate Student Poster Winners

Accumulative Effects of Novel Biomarkers on Identification of Individuals at Increased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)
Names: Nathan Redmond, Jared Rosenberg and Professor Joon Young Kim
Program/Major: Health and Exercise Science
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Joon Young Kim

The Effect of a 3-month Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet Intervention on Diet Quality
Names: Olivia Templeton and Samantha Jezak
Program/Major: Nutrition Science
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Jessica Garay

Association between Cognitive Function and Metabolic Syndrome in US Firefighters: Does Metabolic Syndrome (MetSyn) Matter?
Names: Sewina Yu, Professor Joon Young Kim and Myong-Won Seo
Program/Major: Health & Exercise Science
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Joon Young Kim

Graduate student poster winners Mariana Perez Lugo (left) and Akriti Shrestha (second from left) with their faculty mentor Latha Ramalingam and Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Chair Lynn Brann (right).

Graduate Student Poster Winners

Risks and Protective Factors for Veterans’ PTSD, Mental Well-being, and Substance use During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Names: Jacqueline Allen, Professor Xiafei Wang and Professor Ken Marfilius
Program/Major: Social Work
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Ken Marfilius

Interparental Conflict in Early Childhood as a Predictor of Adolescent Depression and Anxiety
Name: Abigail Picinich
Program/Major: Human Development and Family Studies
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Sara Vasilenko

Paternal Obesity and Effect of Fish Oil Supplementation on Offspring Metabolic Health
Names: Akriti Shrestha, Mariana Perez Lugo and Professor Latha Ramalingam
Program/Major: Nutrition Science
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Latha Ramalingam

Doctoral Student Poster Winners

Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in Healthy Young Adults With and Without History of COVID-19
Names: Burak Cilhoroz, Sydney Brackett, Leah Rozumov, Sophia Luchs, Zachary Greely and Professor Kevin Heffernan
Program/Major: Exercise Science
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Kevin Heffernan

Examining Cardiometabolic Disease Risk in Normal Weight (NW) and Overweight/Obese (OB) Individuals: Results from 2017-2020 NHANES
Names: Lindsey Clark, Myong-Won Seo and Professor Joon Young Kim
Program/Major: Exercise Science
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Joon Young Kim

The Effect of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Cardiorespiratory Function
Names: Andrew Heckel, Danielle Arcidiacono, Kailee Coonan, Jacob DeBlois, Alaina Glasgow and Professor Kevin Heffernan
Program/Major: Exercise Science
Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Kevin Heffernan

About the Falk College Research Center

The Falk College Research Center promotes a robust, collaborative research community in which students play an active role. At Falk, graduate and undergraduate students have the opportunity to work directly with faculty to collect data, analyze findings and draw conclusions on relevant topics surrounding public health, food studies, nutrition, sport management, human development and family science, social work, exercise science, and marriage and family therapy.

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Natalie Antosh was a third-year student at Upstate Medical University in 2019 when she noticed a gap in the medical school curriculum—there was little nutrition content. Acutely aware of the role nutrition plays in many diseases, she decided to survey her fellow medical students and found that the majority wanted more nutrition instruction. Ninety-five percent said they would welcome an elective nutrition course.

Antosh teamed up with Dr. Barbara Feuerstein, a professor of medicine at Upstate and an endocrinologist at the Joslin Diabetes Center, and Dr. Beth Nelson, a professor of pediatrics at Upstate, to brainstorm about creating a nutrition course. Nelson had completed a master’s degree in nutrition at Syracuse University’s Falk College prior to attending medical school and knew that the Falk faculty expertise was just what they needed. They reached out to professors Kay Stearns Bruening and Sudha Raj in Falk’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies and began designing a nutrition course for fall 2019.

Within hours of announcing the addition of a new elective called Food as Medicine, the class was filled.

Developing a Curriculum

Bruening, director of Falk’s Nutrition Assessment, Consultation and Education Center, was asked to provide an introduction and an overview for the course, as well as a session on fad diets. “I taught it as a session on the world’s healthiest diets and what they have in common, and then organized a presentation of whole foods by food group with an emphasis on their clinical medical implications,” she recalls.

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Bruening notes that the Food as Medicine course content is different from what she uses in her Falk clinical courses. “My Falk courses include content on the pathophysiology of diseases, how it affects nutrition status and the nutrition care process,” she says. “Medical students would already know the pathophysiology, and their approach to assessing patients is different from the approach of nutrition professionals.”

Feuerstein points out that medical students will go into many different specialties, so they have a variety of reasons to take the course. “Beyond professional applications, I think some students also found the nutrition class helpful for their own lives—one assignment on taking a nutrition history from a family member had some enlightening surprises for many students.” And the course provides a variety of experiences that are especially valuable for expanding medical students’ perspectives. “Shadowing an Overeaters Anonymous session, sitting in with various dietitians and creating a cookbook are great learning experiences for our medical students,” she says.

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Raj, who directs Falk’s graduate programs in nutrition science as well as the new online Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, developed a module on functional nutrition for the course. “We teach medical students a systems biology approach to integrate diet, genetics and lifestyle to address underlying causes of chronic disease,” she says. Additional modules addressed obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy, pediatrics, oncology and cancer prevention, and vegetarian diets.

Building Bridges

Raj believes the course builds a bridge between medicine and nutrition that benefits the entire community. “The alliance between Falk and Upstate provides a seat at the table for the nutrition professional along with medical and allied health professionals,” she says. “We’re fostering a health care climate where nutrition is seen as part of the health care paradigm—not a separate entity—and emphasizes a partnership between patient, physician and the nutrition professional for sustained long-term health.”

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The collaboration also reinforces Syracuse University’s commitment to experiential learning and community service, and it has created valuable opportunities for students from both institutions. “For the past two years I’ve taken part in an interdisciplinary education initiative with a colleague who teaches in the Respiratory Therapy program at Upstate,” says Bruening. “This year, I led a lecture and workshop on nutrition and respiratory function for her respiratory therapy students. She, in turn, took small groups of Falk students from my Medical Nutrition Therapy class to her teaching lab at Upstate, where they learned about respiratory interventions and intubated a mannequin. The nutrition science students loved it, and the dietetics students learned firsthand how respiratory interventions that keep patients alive can affect their ability to obtain adequate nutrition.”

Community partners like Brady Farm and the University United Methodist Church food pantry provide guest speakers and field trip opportunities for students, and Food Bank of Central New York offers sessions with local nutritionists and registered dietitians. One was led by Falk nutrition alumnus Deb Mimaroglu ’14 and another by Heather Brubaker G’18, who focused on how trauma can affect interactions with participants in nutrition education and counseling sessions.

A popular feature of the course is Culinary Medicine Day, when students create and taste healthy, plant-forward dishes. It was originally held in the Falk teaching kitchens with the help of Falk culinary specialist Bill Collins, but in 2020 pandemic restrictions inspired Bruening to switch to a live virtual presentation from her home kitchen. It was so flexible and cost effective they decided to conduct the 2021 event virtually again, this time in Feuerstein’s home kitchen.

Enriching Falk Students

Raj says teaching has been her passion since high school. “I see teaching as a two-way street where I share my knowledge and at the same time I learn from my students, peers and colleagues,” she says. “They have nourished my personal and professional development through the years, and I think I am better for it.”

Bruening echoes that admiration for Falk College students. “Our students share a passion for the relationship between food and health,” she says. “Education standards are so much more rigorous than when I was a student, and Falk students rise to those challenges. I have tremendous respect for them.”

In August 2020, Bruening was named a clinical instructor in Upstate’s Department of Medicine. It is an honor that recognizes her voluntary role and gives her access to Upstate Medical University’s library resources. “I think the sharing of expertise and resources creates a two-way benefit,” Bruening says. “Physician graduates from Upstate gain specific understanding of the significance of nutrition in the causes and treatment of disease and the role of nutrition professionals in patient care. And I learn things from the medical students and faculty that I share with our nutrition students. Our hope is that the long-term effect will be better patient care and health outcomes.”

~ An SU Story by Mary Beth Horsington originally published on March 15, 2022.

When the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics get underway, Maggie McCrudden ’14 can take pride in knowing she helped energize U.S. athletes on their arduous journey to the Games. As the food and nutrition registered dietitian for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, she works at the organization’s training center in Lake Placid, New York, ensuring the world-class athletes find the right food in front of them. “My main focus is making sure we can nourish the athletes day in and day out because nutrition isn’t just what you eat in one meal,” says McCrudden, an alumna of Falk College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in nutrition with a minor in gerontology. “It’s the repeated action of fueling yourself, recovering, resting, staying hydrated—the full circle of nourishment for your body and wellness.”

McCrudden has insight into the mindset of athletes. She is a former captain and four-year member of the Orange rowing team who collected national scholar-athlete honors her senior year. “I have a lot of compassion for the athletes because I try to put myself in their shoes,” says McCrudden, who counts completing the 2019 New York City Marathon among her athletic feats. “It’s a high-stress, competitive environment, so I want to make sure they’re nourished and feeling confident.”

At Lake Placid, the range of nutritional needs is evident. There are bobsledders and lugers geared for explosive starts and biathloners who cover long distances. Add speed skaters, ski jumpers, snowboarders and other athletes to the mix. Some are super-focused on caloric intake and tracking their meals, while others may need guidance on their fueling requirements. “I’m an open door and very nonjudgmental,” McCrudden says. “If anyone has questions, I let them guide the conversation and see how I can help.”

The training center hosts an assortment of different camps and teams, with athletes coming and going depending on training and competition schedules. Along with Olympic hopefuls, McCrudden has worked with the national wheelchair basketball team, U.S. junior national teams, even rhythmic gymnasts. When she started the position last January, COVID presented its own challenges. Athletes who’d traveled were quarantined in their rooms, and she did her best to fulfill special food requests. For a time, athletes who trained at the center were required to stay there as well. “They weren’t able to go out to get food on their own, so making sure they had access was huge,” she says. “It was important for them to have the comfort of going to the cafeteria and having whatever ritual food they want or what they need to perform at their top level.”

A Foodie Finds Syracuse

McCrudden’s interest in food and nutrition grew out of her childhood and helped lead her to Syracuse University. With a Polish grandmother and a Chinese grandfather, she was introduced to cuisine combining the two cultures—mixing pierogies with dumplings, for instance. She enjoyed spending time in the kitchen with her grandmother and mother and loved cooking. “I’ve always been pretty much a foodie,” she says. “Everyone grows up with different concepts of food. For me, food makes me feel loved.”

When it came time for college, an Orange attraction couldn’t be overlooked. Her sister, Natalie ’12, was studying engineering at Syracuse and a member of the rowing team. “To become a registered dietitian requires a lot of planning, so when I was looking at universities, Syracuse definitely stuck out,” she says. “Falk’s nutrition program has all the credentials to get into a dietetic internship, which would be my next step after graduation.”

McCrudden, who is dyslexic, says the support she received from Falk and the University community was “amazing.” As a student-athlete, she appreciated the access she had to tutors and resources and the responsiveness of faculty members. “If you reach out to people on campus, everyone is super and, from my experience, willing to help you,” she says. “Everyone at Syracuse is cheering you on, trying to get you to be your best in the classroom, on the fields or on the water.”

McCrudden fondly recalls a class on intuitive eating and mindfulness, which focused on partaking in special treats by savoring the flavors and taking your time eating them. “Enjoy it,” she says. “That’s the main thing.” Falk’s nutrition counseling program—which pairs nutrition majors with students seeking guidance—also proved influential to her career. “It was so helpful because you can read things in books, but then you go into a conversation with someone and you think it’s going one way and it goes a completely different way,” she says. “I really benefited from having exposure and access to different opportunities and professors to guide me through what it is to be a dietitian because we’re never dealing with the perfect patient and nobody eats the perfect diet.”

Growing with New Opportunities

McCrudden was first drawn to sports nutrition during a summer internship before her senior year, when she worked with the New York Giants’ dietitian at MetLife Stadium doing food demonstrations and nutrition education during the team’s rookie training camp. After graduation, she pursued a master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics at Saint Elizabeth University and tackled her dietetic internship requirements, logging 1,200 hours of supervised practice working in various hospital settings as well as doing counseling and community outreach. She was also a volunteer coach and nutritionist for her high school rowing team in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

McCrudden started her career as a clinical dietitian with Alaris Health, working as a department head in sub-acute rehabilitation and long-term care facilities in New Jersey. “It gave me a huge understanding of medical nutrition therapy,” she says. “I’m happy I went straight into clinical dietetics because I was dealing with patients, family members, doctors and nurses, and understanding the interaction between medication and the body.” Then it was on to New York City, where she served as the clinical nutrition manager at Morrison Community Living, which provides dining and wellness services for senior living centers. “From there I moved to Lake Placid, and it’s been an awesome transition,” she says.

Rolling Sushi, Rocking Orange

McCrudden does some coaching herself at Lake Placid, guiding athletes through a weekly cooking class. The classes are educational—nutrition focused—and a great team-building exercise. Her favorite class so far: sushi rolling. “We probably had 40 people doing sushi in waves,” she says. “We’d have different start times and stagger them. It was really fun. All the different teams liked competing against each other. Sushi became a competitive sport.”

Mix that competitive spirit with her enduring Orange spirit and it’s easy to see why McCrudden enjoys Lake Placid. She and her husband, former Orange rower Mac Zink ’14, were married last summer and have embraced life in the Adirondacks, adding hiking and snowshoeing to their activities. They also remain tight with their ’Cuse alumni network of former rowers and other friends. “Being a Syracuse graduate means the world to me,” she says. “Syracuse completely prepared me for each step of the way into the world of nutrition. I accomplished so much there. I met so many great friends—and we’re all obsessed with Syracuse.”

A Syracuse University story by Jay Cox originally published on February 1, 2022.