Position Title
Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension
- Department of Nutrition
Research Interests
Dr. Smilowitz has a well-established research career investigating the role of diet on the gut microbiome across the lifespan. Her research in clinical nutrition and lactation targets health in the first 1000 days from pregnancy through early childhood. As a lactation education counselor, Dr. Smilowitz built a multi-collaborative outreach program focused on infant feeding that educates families on lactation and breastfeeding. Her research and outreach programs focus on critical issues that identify and address gaps in health equity, support community health and reduce chronic disease risk.
Dr. Smilowitz leads the Outreach & Research Implementing Advancements in Nutrition Equity (ORIANE) Lab, which uses multi-disciplinary and multi-prong approaches to improve community health by 1) implementing and testing evidence-based diet interventions, 2) creating educational programs on nutrition and health using multimedia to empower families, and 3) delivering professional development training on nutrition-related topics to healthcare providers, community professionals, educators, and health advocates.