• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
UT Austin

UT Austin 100% Online Master of Science in Nutritional Science

Online Masters in Nutrition

Main navigation

  • Admissions & Application
  • Courses & Concentrations
  • Request Information

Natalie Poulos / September 11, 2018

Nutrition Research Retreat: Event Spotlight

By Brittany Harlow, Doctoral Student in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin

 

With a new Data Blitz activity, this year’s Nutrition Research Retreat proved even more engaging and interactive than the last. The program commenced with a talk by the newly appointed Dean of the College of Natural Sciences Dr. Paul Goldbart, who outlined his personal background in the sciences, shared academic advice, and managed to elicit a few chuckles. Despite his busy schedule, Dr. Goldbart stayed for the welcome talk by Department Chair Dr. Molly Bray, who highlighted the progress and future goals of the program.

Members of the faculty then took turns discussing the topics of their research, the graduate students with whom they work, and the courses they teach. Following a lunch break, Dr. Freeland-Graves recounted her experiences directing the Study Abroad program, sharing pictures taken around the world and explaining the requirements for admission.

Next came the highly anticipated Data Blitz, an activity requiring all post-candidacy graduate students to present the background, methodology, and findings of their research project in a hasty two minutes. Although rumor had it that some students were dreading this event, the participants ended up introducing their projects with enthusiasm and a little humor. While good practice in concision for the students, the activity proved even more instructive for the faculty, who may not have otherwise been aware of all the students’ projects. Any anxiety surrounding the data blitz soon gave way to excitement as the faculty and students turned their attention to the next topic of the Research Retreat—the research.

Brittany Harlow and Annemarie Zamora

Undergraduate and graduate students hurried towards their posters and prepared to explain and defend their latest findings. At the same time, faculty and guest judges scrambled to visit their assigned posters, challenge the students with thoughtful questions regarding the research, and score the poster presentations. Of course, the students also found time to visit the posters of their peers and submit a vote for their favorite presentation.

Soon enough, the hustle and bustle of the poster session died down in time for another round of faculty presentations. This time, Dr. Sara Sweitzer updated the department regarding the new and growing Online Master’s Degree program, launched in Fall of 2017 . Diane Papillion then discussed the merging of science and nutrition in the very popular and sold-out courses of Susie’s Kitchen, a community-based series of culinary courses. With several undergraduate attendees in the room, Dr. Ladia Hernandez also took the opportunity to discuss the requirements for and benefits of participation in the research-intensive Honors in Advanced Nutritional Sciences undergraduate degree track. Finally, Drew Hays described her efforts to enhance hands-on, or experiential, learning, and community outreach.

Winners of 2018 Research Poster Presentations

All the while, NGSA members rushed to tally the judges’ scores and popular votes. In the end, four undergraduate students receivedWinners of the Poster Presentationsrecognition for their performance scores: Maalini Bommakanti, Elizabeth Eichman, Christopher Hsu, and Peyton Travis. Among the graduate students, Amy Kweller and Xiyuan Li won the popular vote; Brittany Harlow, Matthew Landry, and Sarvenaz Vandyousefi tied for second place; and NGSA President Vasavi Shabrish secured first place.

The day’s festivities closed in a way only fit for the Nutritional Sciences program—with food and drinks in a faculty meeting-happy hour fusion.

 

Brittany Harlow is a current doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin in Nutritional Sciences.  She is currently completing her doctoral work and doing research in the lab of Dr. Linda DeGraffenried. 

Filed Under: UTexasNutrition News Tagged With: community, community outreach, data blitz, experiential learning, graduate student, honors, natural sciences, Nutrition, nutrition honors, nutrition research, nutritional sciences, online masters, poster presentation, research, research retreat, susie's kitchen

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Contact Us

  • Thank you for your interest in the Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences (MSNS), 100% Online.

    Someone will be in contact with you shortly. You can find out more about our program at https://he.utexas.edu/ntr/graduate-students/online-learning/program-overview-and-schedule.

We’re ready to answer your questions.

By submitting this inquiry, you agree to be contacted by representatives of the University of Texas Austin by phone, text or email in order to receive information about our programs.

Privacy Policy

Application Dates

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the final deadline, October 1, 2022.
Spring 2023    Aug. 1 - Oct. 1

Previous Posts

  • June 2020
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018

Footer

find

  • Admissions & Application
  • Courses & Concentrations
  • Privacy
  • UT Austin Department of Nutritional Sciences

in Partnership with

University of Texas System

Follow us

© 2023 · UT AUSTIN · DEPARTMENT OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES

  • Admissions & Application
  • Courses & Concentrations
  • Request Information