Courses
Some words about positionality, standpoint and the classroom
Positionality
“Positionality is the notion that personal values, views and location in time and space influence how one understands the world. In this context, gender, race, class, and other aspects of identities are indicators of social and spatial positions and are not fixed, given qualities. Positions act on the knowledge a person has about things, both material and abstract. Consequently, knowledge is the product of a specific position that reflects particular places and spaces.”
-Luis Sánchez,
I enter our classroom with the positionality of a female, cis-gender, heterosexual, white, person from a middle to upper middle class background. I recognize that this positionality may bias my understanding of and outlook on the world. With this knowledge, I practice reflexivity. I examine my own beliefs, judgments and practices and, when dilemmas and challenges to my worldview are encountered, I interrogate those dilemmas and challenges in the context of how my positionality may be at work. From this work, I am able to better move beyond myself to engage with, listen and acknowledge the lived experiences of individuals who do not share my positionality, and work toward a greater understanding of our diverse world.
Standpoint
Standpoint here refers to a position from which objects or principles are viewed, and according to which they are compared and judged. It is a mental position or attitude from which a person views and evaluates things.
Within (and outside of!) the classroom, I hold both a feminist and anti-racist standpoint. This means that feminist theory and critical race theory “color” how I see and interact in and with the world. This includes our classroom! I welcome you all to think about your standpoint(s) and, if comfortable, share them with me and/or our class.
Courses I currently teach:
Framingham State University
NUTR 110 – Fundamentals of Nutrition Science (Undergraduate)
An integration of nutrition science with its application to diet and health. Emphasis is placed on nutrient and energy requirements for individuals throughout the life span. Topics include macro- and micronutrients; digestion, absorption, and metabolism; body composition and weight management; vegetarianism; sports nutrition; chronic disease; and environmental issues. Students assess their own diets using nutrient analysis software.
Framingham State University
NUTR 381 – Medical Nutrition Therapy I (Undergraduate)
An introduction to the application of nutrition care of individuals and groups in a variety of health care settings. Topics include nutrition assessment and care plans, medical terminology
and documentation, interviewing and counseling skills, and educational theory and material development.
Past courses taught (CUNY/Lehman College)
DFN 437 – Nutrition Education and Counseling (Undergraduate)
Effective nutrition interventions depend on evidence-based theories, models, and strategies put into practice. This course will review evidence-based theories used in planning and delivering nutrition communications and counseling.
Past courses taught (Boston University)
SAR HS 251/551 – Introduction to Nutrition Science (Undergraduate and Graduate)
This course provides an introduction in the scientific foundations of nutrition and focuses on the relationship between diet and health. Scientific information is presented in preparation for discussion of digestive physiology, macro- and micro nutrients, and their role in human health and disease.
SAR HS 395 – Food, Supplements, and Consumer Health (Undergraduate)
Students will conduct a detailed “aisle by aisle” review of foods available in today’s marketplace with special attention to functional foods, foods for special dietary use, and foods modified through technology. Students will gain an understanding of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act and become familiar with methods for evaluating dietary supplements with regard to product quality, safety, effectiveness, and doping status. The influence of nutrition marketing on consumer purchasing patterns will be explored. Students will apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout the course by comparing the nutrient content of specific foods and dietary supplements to the nutrient needs of consumers according to the Dietary Reference Intakes. 4 credits
SAR HS 742 – Nutrition and Disease Prevention: A Life-course Approach (Graduate)
Focuses on the etiology of major nutrition problems in the U.S. population and the role of the diet in disease prevention and treatment. Included are nutrition issues facing at-risk populations within our society, including pregnant and lactating women, infants and children, and the elderly. The role of diet in the development/prevention of cardiac disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and other chronic diseases is discussed. Students are expected to integrate a knowledge of normal physiologic changes, biochemistry, pathophysiology, metabolism, and nutrient requirements throughout the life cycle with recent advances in the field of nutrition. 4 credits
SAR HS 467 – Research Methods in Nutrition (Undergraduate)
This course provides an overview of methods used in nutrition research, including dietary assessment methods, indicators of nutritional status, analysis and presentation of dietary data, statistical interpretation, and clinical research methods. The course includes lectures, a field trip to a Boston-area clinical research center, and hands-on experience with nutritional assessment and anthropometrics techniques. Students participate in in-class discussions of published research articles to learn techniques for deriving evidence-based recommendations for clinical practice. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to read, interpret, and understand the findings from clinical research studies and understand the fundamental tools that are used by nutrition researchers. 2 credits
SAR HS 384/584 – Medical Nutrition Therapy I (Graduate, Undergraduate)
This course covers the pathophysiology of disease as it relates to nutrition care, and the Medical Nutrition Therapy appropriate for the care and management of that disease. Nutrition screening, nutrition assessment and nutrition care plan formulation will be discussed for the person with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and other medical conditions. Documentation and monitoring/evaluation of the nutrition care plan will be discussed as well as the translation of care to the patient’s menu and therapeutic diet plan. 4 credits
SAR HS 785 – Graduate Research in Nutrition (Graduate)
This course teaches students to prepare a mock research grant proposal that would be used to compete for research funding. Students are challenged to define a new area of research based on a critical review of existing literature on a specific nutrition-related health topic of personal interest. Course competencies include formulation of a testable research hypothesis and selection of an appropriate research design, study population, methodology, and analysis plan. This course helps students to refine their scientific writing skills, and introduces them to budget planning and ethical issues related to research involving human subjects. 4 credits.
SAR HS 400/CAS WS 400 – Gender and Healthcare (Undergraduate)
Focuses on strengthening students’ knowledge, skills, and ability to construct a critical appraisal of all the determinants, distribution, causes, mechanisms, systems, and consequences of health inequities related to gender, including how gender influences and is influenced by healthcare systems. 4 credits.