Dr. Connie Weaver, distinguished professor and head of the Department of Foods and Nutrition made history as the first woman to receive the Purdue Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award. Dr. Weaver was selected as the 2006 award winner for the Purdue Chapter last spring. The award was given to the scientist whose work was deemed “the best of the best” by the 400 members of the chapter.

On Friday, October 13, 2006, Dr. Connie Weaver gave a detailed lecture highlighting her academic career research accomplishments. Dr. Weaver is a nationally recognized expert on calcium, its function, and bioavailability in foods.  Her work is tested each summer through National Institutes of Health supported summer camps, called Camp Calcium. Dr. Weaver is also the director of the Purdue NIH funded Botanicals Research Center which studies botanicals containing polyphenolics for age-related diseases.

Dr. Connie Weaver is the past president of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences and is an elected fellow of both American College of Nutrition and the Institute of Food Sciences. Among her many awards include the W.O Atwater Award, the highest award given by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for promoting human health.

Amy R. Mobley, PhD, RD

Amy R. Mobley is the newest faculty member joining us this fall as a Clinical/Professional Assistant Professor.  Amy’s appointment is half-time in the Family Nutrition Program working to evaluate and create research initiatives related to engagement efforts with low income audiences and the Foods and Nutrition department’s key signature areas.  Furthermore, the other half-time component of Amy’s appointment is within the Foods and Nutrition department where she will be teaching the F&N 330 course (Diet Selection and Planning), advising and mentoring students and initiating research efforts related to behavioral based nutrition and health interventions to prevent chronic disease for a variety of audiences including children and adolescents.

Amy recently received her PhD in nutrition from the University of Maryland in College Park, MD.  Her research focused on evaluating the impact of a behavioral based weight management intervention with an Internet follow up counseling component on weight loss in overweight active duty military service members in the Washington, DC area.  Amy received her MS in Human Nutrition at The Ohio State University and a BS in Nutrition from the Pennsylvania State University.  Amy has experience working with the Dairy Council Mid East in Columbus, Ohio and as a nutrition scientist contractor for the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Amy is excited to join our prosperous department and work with our fellow faculty, staff, state extension service, students, alumni and Indiana community.

Laura A. Palmer, M.S., R.D.

Laura Palmer just joined the Foods and Nutrition Department in October as an Extension Specialist.  Laura will serve as a liaison between faculty researchers and Extension Educators in the community.  She will coordinate the design, evaluation, assessment, and review of educational materials that relate to the departments signature areas and the needs of the Indiana community.

Laura received her Masters Degree from University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT in Health Promotion.  Her research focused on designing, implementing and evaluating a nutritional curriculum targeting childhood obesity.  Laura completed her dietetic internship at Saint Joseph College West Hartford, CT and received her BS in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, IL.  Laura has experience working as an oncology dietitian, a pediatric dietitian and as a Health Promotion Instructor for the Manchester Parks and Recreation Department in Manchester, CT.

Laura is looking forward to working with Extension Educators throughout the state as well as faculty and staff at Purdue.

Healthy Purdue is the Purdue University Health Initiative, a wellness program designed to reduce health care cost and improve health care outcomes among Purdue’s employees, retirees, and their spouses.  Currently there are approximately 9000 participants enrolled in the Health Purdue program.  The program is sponsored by Purdue’s Worklife Services.

The Foods and Nutrition Department is leading a Healthy Purdue Research Interest group lead by Stacey Mobley, PhD, RD, CNSD.  The research group, in partnership with Purdue Worklife will lead a long-term, prospective, cohort study and help identify relevant biomarkers to prevent, detect, monitor, and treat diseases such as osteoporosis, obesity, cancer, and heart disease.  The group also plans to develop genetic, metabolic, and behavioral profiles of individuals to prevent and/or treat diseases.  This research opportunity will create a data repository for secondary analyses and establish a foundation for translational science.

The Healthy Purdue Research Interest group includes Dorothy Teegarden, PhD from the Foods and Nutrition Department as well as other faculty and staff members from the School of Health Sciences, Department of Psychological Sciences, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Department of Statistics, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, School of Nursing, Department of Computer and Information Technology, Department of Chemistry, and Human Resource Services.  

As a part of the Healthy Purdue initiative, three faculty members of the Foods and Nutrition Department were featured in the Worklife on-line health series.  The on-line health series are ten-minute episodes about different health topics.  Dr. Carol Boushey did one episodes entitled Dieting Truths and Myths, Dr. Connie Weaver did an episode entitled The New Food Guide Pyramid, and Dr. Richard Mattes covered Liquid Calories.  Anyone can enjoy these on-line programs from their desktop by visiting www.purdue.edu/worklife, click on Healthy Track, and watch the streaming videos.

For more information on the Healthy Purdue Research Interest group, please contact Stacey Mobley, Assistant Professor, Foods and Nutrition Department, smobley@purdue.edu.

MyPyramid: Eating Better Makes Sense is a DVD resource that was developed by Purdue Extension.  The DVD is a day-in-the-life approach to understanding the USDA's new MyPyramid. The educational video features Maria, a working mom on a tight budget. Maria shows you how she and her family follow the MyPyramid plan as part of a healthy lifestyle. She demonstrates healthy food choices she makes at the grocery store and gives meal examples from her kitchen. Maria also highlights food safety tips in the store and at home. A new emphasis of MyPyramid is physical activity, and Maria shows you how you can work physical activity into the family's busy schedule.

This DVD has seven segments. Each one is approximately 6 minutes long. There is an introduction to MyPyramid and a segment for each of the six food groups. MyPyramid: Eating Better Makes Sense is available in English and Spanish. Bulk orders receive a 20% discount for 15 DVD's or more.

Prices and Product Numbers:

• English: DVD-CFS-732, $25 each plus shipping
• Spanish: DVD-CFS-732-S, $25 each plus shipping
• 20% discount for orders of 15 DVD’s or more

Three Ways to Order:

•  Order online at the Purdue Extension Education Store
• Print this order form or
• Call 1-888-EXT-INFO (1-888-398-4636)