Melani Duffrin, NIU professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Health Professions, was named the Nutrition Education for the Public Dietetic Practice Group (NEP DPG) Award of Excellence winner. The Award of Excellence recognizes high-quality nutrition education projects that enhance and advance the objectives of the NEP DPG.
Duffrin’s research focuses on measuring the affective domains of learning guided by learning theory that are aligned with how the brain works. She is also the creator and principal investigator of the FoodMASTER Initiative, a learning environment design and research project that has been funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Science Education Partnership Award for 18 years.
“Being a member of the NEP DPG opens doors for networks and FoodMASTER initiative expansion opportunities,” Duffrin said. “I encourage all students and professionals to seek out professional organizations to stay connected and engaged with a community of learners. It is important to have a sense of belonging somewhere in a professional organization to stay up-to-date in professional practice.”
Duffrin recent endeavors include the creation of learning environment design research projects for NIU including STARS Faculty Academy, ROADS – Reaching Out to Advance Diversity in Sciences, and Collaborative Connections, a Near-Peer Mentor program for Health Science and Nutrition majors. Each of these learning environments aims to utilize methods that enhance participants’ sense of belonging, identity, satisfaction, recognition, confidence, and professional practice.
“Learning environment design and research requires a community to make it all happen. University faculty, administrators, staff, advisory committees, partnerships, program officers, funding sources, teachers, community educators, students at all levels, volunteers, and family and friend support systems, all focused on the end goal of human development, make the research fun,” Duffrin said. “Thank you to everyone that has contributed over the years and the NEP DPG for the recognizing the work. It has been a blessed journey.”
Duffrin will be recognized on Oct. 9 at the 2022 Food and Nutrition Conference Expo sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
