Biography

Dr. Jillian Wanik is an Associate Professor in Residence and Director of the Dietetic Internship Program in the Department of Allied Health Sciences. She is a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition (DCN), Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), and Certified Nutrition Support Specialist (CNSC). Her research interests include exploring the relationships between physical activity levels and changes in anthropometrics (weight, waist circumference, and percent body fat) and health related quality of life and the role of mindfulness in changing health behaviors.

Dr. Wanik has a passion for wellness and believes that food is powerful preventative medicine that can maximize health and wellness, increase athletic performance, and play a key role in disease management and treatment. She actively explores international nutrition and health with education abroad courses studying the Mediterranean diet in Italy. She has been part of a global interdisciplinary catering team working at the Summer Olympic Games where she defined and set standards and policies for elite athlete fueling.

As an educator, Dr. Wanik teaches the science of medical nutrition along with the educational strategies necessary to impact behavior change. This includes a focus on inter-professional collaborations in education and health care. She works to transition students from consumers to producers of knowledge; training them in the skills necessary to translate medical nutrition therapies (MNT) into accurate, relevant information to help better the lives of individuals in diverse communities and in a range of clinical settings.

Currently not accepting Graduate students.