About the Authors
Figure false: Photo Courtesy of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
Jamie Pope, MS, RD, LDN, has been with Vanderbilt University since 1986 working in the areas of obesity research, weight management, health promotion, heart disease prevention, and—since 2000—as Instructor of Nutrition in the School of Nursing. Jamie’s popular classes bring together undergraduate students from a wide range of majors to learn about the science of nutrition and its application to their personal and professional lives. Jamie was the recipient of the Faculty Innovation in Teaching Award in 2013. Beyond the classroom, she adapted portions of her Vanderbilt courses to produce and offer a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) on the Coursera learning platform, which attracted more than 175,000 students from all over the world. Outcomes and application of her MOOC to dietetic practice and nutrition education were published in the Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Jamie holds a Master of Science degree in nutrition science. She is a long-time member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and has served as media representative for the Tennessee Dietetic Association, during which time she was named as Outstanding Dietitian of the Year for the Nashville District Dietetic Association. She is currently chair-elect for AND’s Nutrition Educators of Health Professionals practice group. Earlier in her career, Jamie co-authored several books for consumers, such as The T-Factor Fat Gram Counter, which spent more than three years on the New York Times best-seller list. She has authored or contributed to numerous other scientific and popular press publications. Jamie also served for more than a decade as nutrition consultant for Smart Balance Inc.
Figure false: Photo Courtesy Grand Valley State University
Steven Nizielski, MS, PhD, earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota in Wildlife Biology and assisted in research projects involving Siberian tigers and gray wolves before entering graduate school. He earned his Master’s and Doctorate degrees at the University of Minnesota in nutrition, with an emphasis in biochemistry. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, where he teaches introductory nutrition, clinical nutrition, public health, advanced metabolism, life cycle nutrition and sports nutrition courses. His current research seeks to identify cellular adaptations in adipose tissue in response to aging and endurance training. Steve is a fellow of The Obesity Society, and a member of the American Society for Nutrition, and a member of the American Physiological Society. He is an avid competitive cyclist and also enjoys cross-country skiing, hiking, and camping.
Alison McCook has been a science writer and editor for more than 15 years, crafting materials for both general and professional audiences. Her work spans topics from health to molecular mechanisms, and has appeared in well-known publications such as Reuters, Nature, Discover, Scientific American, Popular Science, and The Lancet. Alison has held staff positions at Reuters and Nature and, most recently, she was the Deputy Editor of The Scientist, overseeing the entire editorial team. During her tenure, the magazine won two consecutive Magazine of the Year awards, across all categories, from the American Society of Business Publication Editors. Alison resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.