Meeting the Challenges of These Times
How has the Corona virus changed your life? How have you risen to meet the challenges? Registered dietitian nutritionists, dietetic interns and students in food, nutrition and dietetic programs have been part of the frontline workers and serving vulnerable populations. Please share you stories with the Academy – we want to hear what you have to say and your input can help to build tools and benefits for Academy members. Click here to submit your story today!
Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) 2020
The Academy is actively monitoring the status of and recommendations for future travel with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, FNCE® 2020 remains scheduled for October 17-20 in Indianapolis. Registration is scheduled to open July 1 and housing on June 16. Please click here read more information.
A Call for Late-Breaking Abstracts is open until May 30, 2020. Click here for more information.
Delegate Report
I have been thinking about my food, nutrition and dietetics family during this challenging time and all of the work that you are doing related to COVID-19. Many of you are frontline health care workers, all of you have had your personal and professional lives have turned upside down. Thank you for staying strong and being leaders in your communities. Please consider submitting your COVID experiences to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to help others learn how you faced this challenge head on. You can submit your stories and read about others experiences here.
The Academy House of Delegates website has been updated, please click here to review the mega issues and updates.
The April 2020 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics House of Delegates meeting was canceled due to COVID-19. However a virtual vote was taken on May 1, 2020 as follow up to work that occurred at our previous meeting to discuss the strategic issue question: How does the Academy and its members leverage Big Data and Artificial Intelligence technology to improve outcomes in all areas of practice and elevate the roles of credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners? On May 1, the House of Delegates approved for the House Leadership team to take the following recommendations to the Academy Board of Directors:
- Recommendation 1: To establish a six-to-eight-month, cost-effective promotional series to close the data knowledge gap among dietetics professionals. The first element of this project will consist of concise case studies of how both small and large data sets are being used to advance nutrition and dietetics practice and elevate RDNs and NDTRs roles. The second element of this project is a commitment to education of food and nutrition professionals via over-indexing of technology and Big Data in education formats. The third element of this project is securing of a sponsor of a technology and Big Data session which can be made available for presentation at Affiliate and DPG meetings.
- Recommendation 2: For the Academy to establish a Data Directory, a comprehensive list of data sets relevant to all areas of nutrition and dietetics practice and available for use. While HealthData.gov and Dataverse have consolidated information on all data sets, not all of these are necessarily relevant to RDNs and NDTRs. To this end, these sites will be combed to identify those with relevance for dietetics professionals. Information in the directory would include ownership of the data sets, how they can be accessed, training on usage, and examples of their use by RDNs and NDTRs. It is essential that this Data Directory be targeted at RDNs and NDTRs working outside of a research setting.
- Recommendation 3: For the Academy Foundation to support a pilot project at a leading U.S. retailer to combine data from the Electronic Health Records system used by the dietitian team at the retailer and their point-of-sale data to effectively market healthier foods to individuals that align with their specific health needs. The pilot project will assess changes in biometrics and grocery cart composition over time.
- Recommendation 4: To establish the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a Technology Steward for RDNs and NDTRs, creating a key data partnership which can positively impact outcomes and elevate the practice of dietetics.
- Recommendation 5: For the Academy to identify companies engaged in creating open source data hubs related to food data and health data, establishing the organization as a key partner in the structure and access of the hub, and ensuring structure aligns with the needs of practicing RDNs and NDTRs.
Thank you for your dedication to our profession. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you.
Stay safe and well,
Lydia West, MPH, RDN, LD, Delegate
MS-AND Member Spotlight
This month we are delighted to spotlight MS-AND Member and recipient of one of this year’s Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Medallion Awards, Dr. David Holben. Since 1976, the Medallion awards have been given to honor Academy members who have shown dedication to the high standards of the nutrition and dietetics profession through active participation, leadership and devotion to serving others in nutrition and dietetics, as well as allied health fields. Several awards are given each year to those members whose dedication to the Academy and service to the profession serve as an example to all. We are excited to have a Mississippi member among the 2020 winners!
David H. Holben
PhD, RDN, LD, FAND Oxford
Workplace: University of Mississippi
What do you like most about your position?
I like the variety – teaching students, doing research, and partnering with communities.
What is your favorite hobby/pastime outside of work?
Landscaping and gardening
What is your favorite place to visit in Mississippi and why?
Wellsgate Lake. It is a peaceful place to kayak and has a lot of wildlife to enjoy.
Renewing Your Membership
We appreciate your Academy and MS-AND membership and commitment to the profession as a member during the 2019-20 membership year. While we navigate this unprecedented time of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Academy and MS-AND remain committed to serving our members.
Now more than ever, you need the cutting-edge practice information and professional resources Academy membership offers at the national level, while also maximizing the benefits of MS-AND, such as the annual conference, CEU opportunities, networking with others in your profession, and more.
The Academy recognizes that membership renewal coincides with this challenging time and is offering several options to help with your renewal:
- The membership renewal deadline has been extended through June 30 online, by phone or by mail.
- An option to pay dues in two equal installments is now available. The first installment is due by June 30, and a second installment is due by September 15.
- If financial hardship threatens your ability to maintain Academy membership, you may request an application for a Financial Hardship Dues Reduction.
Renew your membership with the Academy and MS-AND online or by calling the Academy Member Service Center toll-free at 800/877-1600, ext. 5000 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Central Time). For more information on the installment and hardship options, please email [email protected] or call the Academy Member Service Center.
With programs and support at both the local and national level, now is the time to stay connected. Today, tomorrow and beyond, the Academy and MS-AND are here to amplify your voice, your profession and your career.