Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition - PhD
Domestically and globally, poor diet and lack of physical activity are the greatest contributors to the burden of disease and mortality. Globally, obesity rates are on the rise, often alongside severe undernutrition in developing countries. Overweight and obesity, along with other chronic conditions such as cardiovascular heart disease and Type II diabetes are largely attributable to lifestyle related behaviors, including insufficient physical activity, increased sedentarism, and poor nutrition. We also have an aging population, whereby a healthy diet and physical activity become critical to live more healthfully for longer.
The PhD in Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition (EPAN) at the Milken Institute School of Public Health (SPH) has been created as an actionable program with a fundamental and deep core appreciation that both nutrition and physical activity together are powerful in fighting many of the most significant public health problems of our time. We strive to uniquely integrate both disciplines given their unique but often have synergistic impacts on health.
This multidisciplinary program provides a rigorous educational opportunity with a curriculum grounded in science and includes the use of sound methodological approaches and innovative thinking that leads to the advancement of knowledge that can be translated into real-world health applications in the fields of physiology and nutrition. Scholars in the doctoral EPAN program will have the opportunity to more fully integrate or specialize their focus in exercise physiology or applied nutrition through their elective coursework and dissertation research.
The program further provides scholars with opportunities to focus on health from laboratory to more community-based approaches. Ongoing research includes nutritional and physical activity epidemiology focused on aging and cancer, physiological and metabolic adaptations to dietary factors and exercise, chronic disease prevention and management, physical activity and dietary interventions, and community-based programs and interventions focused on physical activity and nutrition in children and youth. The program takes advantage of the strengths of the GW academic environment, including wet labs, applied nutrition and physiology labs, along with our location in Washington, D.C., where students and faculty have the opportunity to translate knowledge into real-world impact.
The PhD in EPAN program requires the completion of 48 credits. Coursework can generally be completed in 3 years as a full-time student, though we offer flexible pathways to degree completion.
Program Director: Rob van Dam, PhD
Milken Institute SPH doctoral programs admit students for the Fall term each academic year. Applications will be accepted beginning in August and are due no later than December 1st for the next matriculating cohort beginning in the following Fall term. Those applicants selected for an in-person interview (video conference if remote) can expect to be contacted no later than mid-February. Find Milken Institute SPH graduate admissions information here.
Milken Institute SPH is committed to support the highest standards and practices of diversity and inclusion in all of our processes, systems and interactions throughout the application and student experience.
Our admissions process and requirements:
- Master's degree from accredited graduate program is required
- Applicants with a graduate degree in exercise science, nutrition, public health, or a related discipline will be highly encouraged; however any major is acceptable as long as applicants show requisite knowledge and skills
- Typically an A average in graduate coursework
- International students must provide language test results from the TOEFL or IELTS that are no more than 2 years old if they have not received a post-secondary degree from a US institution
- Letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Interview
Prerequisite expectations (what we are looking for):
- General Biology and Chemistry (with labs)
- Human or mammalian physiology
- Graduate level statistics or biostatistics course is a required prerequisite
Highly Preferred:
- Biochemistry (this will be discussed with student's research mentor prior to admission)
- Exercise Physiology and/or Nutrition Science
- Strong GRE score taken within 5 years of the matriculation date
In addition, we will thoroughly examine the research background of our applicants and give preference to students who have worked on research teams/laboratories or otherwise demonstrated research interest and aptitude.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is strongly recommended but not required. Applicants for the PhD in EPAN may submit their GRE scores to SOPHAS Code 5268. The program's admissions committee will use these scores as part of its holistic evaluation of each applicant's preparedness and fit for the program.
Course descriptions are available through the GW Bulletin.
See the program guide and the SPH Graduate Student Handbook for additional information.
- PhD Foundational Course Requirements
PUBH 6080 | Pathways to Public Health* (0 credits)
PUBH 8001 | PhD Seminar on Cross-Cutting Concepts in Public Health (1 credit)
PUBH 8416 | Study Design and Evaluation Methods (3 credits)
PUBH 8418 | Applied Statistical Analysis (3 credits)
PUBH 8475 | Research Ethics and Integrity in Domestic and International Research (1 credit)*For students without a prior degree from a CEPH-accredited school or program, find FAQs for PUBH 6080 on the Advising page here.
PHD FOUNDATIONAL TOTAL: 8 CREDITS
- Program-Specific Course Requirements
EXNS 6202 | Advanced Exercise Physiology I (3 credits)
EXNS 6810 | Advanced Metabolism (3 credits)
EXNS 8108 | Laboratory Techniques in Human Physiology (2 credits)
EXNS 8110 | Seminar in Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition (2 credits)
PUBH 6611 | Nutrition Assessment (2 credits)
PUBH 6619 | Fundamentals of Nutrition Science (3 credits)PROGRAM-SPECIFIC TOTAL: 15 CREDITS
- Tailoring Coursework (Electives)
Electives may be selected to focus specifically on individual areas of interest in accordance with advisor's support. Focus areas may include: epidemiology, exercise physiology, applied nutrition, or social/behavioral interventions. See program guide for examples of suggested courses. For students entering with a relevant MS degree in physiology or nutrition, some core courses may be waived and additional tailoring courses can be taken in their place.
TAILORING TOTAL: 12 CREDITS MINIMUM
- Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (no credits)
All PhD students are required to pass a Comprehensive Examination, which typically occurs following the Spring semester of Year 2. Comprehensive exams must be successfully completed within three years of matriculation to the PhD program.
DISSERTATION PREPARATION AND DISSERTATION
PUBH 8435 | PhD Dissertation Proposal Development (2 credits)
EXNS 8999 | Dissertation Research ( 9-11 credits)DISSERTATION TOTAL: 11-13 CREDITS
- Non-Academic Requirements
Professional Enhancement
Students in Milken Institute School of Public Health degree programs must participate in eight hours of Professional Enhancement. These activities may be Public Health-related lectures, seminars, or symposia related to your field of study.
Professional Enhancement activities supplement the rigorous academic curriculum of the SPH degree programs and help prepare students to participate actively in the professional community. You can learn more about opportunities for Professional Enhancement via the Milken Institute School of Public Health Listserv, through departmental communications, or by speaking with your advisor.
Students must submit a completed Professional Enhancement Form to the student records office.
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Training
All students are required to complete the Basic CITI training module. This online training module will help new students demonstrate and maintain sufficient knowledge of the ethical principles and regulatory requirements for protecting human subjects - key for any public health research.
Academic Integrity Quiz
All Milken Institute School of Public Health students are required to review the University’s Code of Academic Integrity and complete the GW Academic Integrity Activity. This activity must be completed within 2 weeks of matriculation. Information on GWSPH Academic Integrity requirements can be found here.
- Past Program Guides
Students in the PhD in the Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition program should refer to the guide from the year in which they matriculated into the program. For the current program guide, click the "PROGRAM GUIDE" button at the top of the page.
PhD students contribute to timely and important research questions grounded in rigorous methods spanning laboratory science and community-based methods, quantitative and qualitative analyses, effective communications to the scientific community, students, and general public, ultimately concluding with scientific publications in their area of expertise.
Recent dissertation titles have included:
Our faculty at the Milken Institute School of Public Health are involved in a national profile of strategic research and serve as mentors to students across departments based on areas of specialized interest. These key faculty in the Exercise and Nutrition Sciences department will be directly associated with the PhD, Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition program:
Dr. Rob van Dam, Program Director
Jasmine Charter-Harris
Start year: 2022
Concentration: Nutrition Policy
Advisor: Allison Sylvetsky
Jasmine received her MPH in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. Her research focuses on nutrition and physical activity interventions aimed at preventing chronic diseases, with a particular emphasis on underserved populations. Prior to joining GWU, Jasmine served as a research fellow with the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT), where she conducted critical research and resource gap analyses to enhance the availability of evidence-based lifestyle change programs for adults with prediabetes or those at high risk for type 2 diabetes. The focus of her dissertation is to explore and describe healthy eating and physical activity behaviors among Black Caribbean men.
Yu Jin Lim
Start year: 2023
Concentration: Nutrition
Advisor: Rob van Dam
Yu Jin was born in Busan, South Korea, and grew up primarily in Seoul, South Korea. She received her BS and MS in Nutrition from Sookmyung Women's University, with her thesis focusing on a mobile application to control sodium intake in hypertensive patients. She is a fellow at the Co-Design of Trustworthy AI Systems (DTAIS) program at George Washington University for the 2024-25 academic year. Her current research focuses on developing AI tools for nutrition management for public health purposes.
Tim O'Neal
Start year: 2023
Advisor: Loretta DiPietro
Tim proudly served in AmeriCorps NCCC. He started his career as a registered dietitian for WIC. He completed a dual MS in Nutrition & Exercise at San Diego State University. There, his research focused on how tree nut consumption affected athletic performance. Before starting at GWU, Tim worked as a clinical exercise physiologist in cardiac rehab at Boulder Community Hospital. Tim is a Redstone Fellow and his current research interests include chronic disease prevention via lifestyle interventions. One research project examines how participation in a team-based running and adult mentorship program affects mental health outcomes in DC adolescents. Another examines how the COVID pandemic affected American exercise behaviors. A final project studies undergraduate student health behaviors. Tim is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor.
Jasmine Kaidbey
Dissertation Title: Tapping into Correlates of Drinking Tap Water in the United States
Dissertation Advisor: Allison Sylvetsky, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition, The University of Rhode Island
Jasmine Kaidbey is a nutrition scientist, with a Master’s in Human Nutrition from Columbia University and Bachelor’s in Biology from McGill University. Her research investigates environmental and demographic factors associated with the intake of water and sugar sweetened beverages. For her doctoral research she geographically linked national demographic and dietary data from the CDC with water safety data from the EPA to describe environmental correlates of beverage intake. During her time at GWU she presented at three international conferences and co-authored six peer-reviewed publications. After GW, she hopes to continue research on complex issues related to nutrition science to improve health at individual and population levels. Jasmine has accepted a postdoctoral position at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics & Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Xin (Tracy) Li
Dissertation Title: Associations between Dietary Quality, Metabolomics, and Age-related Changes in Physical Function and Frailty in Older Adults
Dissertation Advisor: Sameera A. Talegawkar, PhD, MHSc, Professor, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Xin (Tracy) Li’s research focuses on nutrition epidemiology, with an emphasis on understanding how dietary patterns, such as overall dietary quality, ultra-processed food consumption, and dietary diversity, are associated with healthy aging outcomes. In her dissertation, she examined both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between diet and physical function outcomes, including grip strength, mobility, and frailty in older adults. She also integrated targeted metabolomics to explore the potential biological pathways linking diet to aging-related outcomes.
Her work contributes to a growing body of evidence highlighting the role of modifiable lifestyle factors in promoting healthy aging and preventing functional decline. She has presented her research at national conferences, including the American Society for Nutrition and the American Public Health Association. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Following graduation, Tracy plans to pursue postdoctoral training to further investigate the biological mechanisms linking diet, cardiometabolic health, and aging, with the goal of informing public health strategies to support healthier and more independent aging populations.
Christie St. Pierre
Dissertation Title: Development and Validation of the Food Literacy BITE Scale for Elementary Schoolchildren
Dissertation Advisor: Jennifer M. Sacheck, PhD, MS, Provost’s Professor and Chair, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health
Christie's research integrates her experiences in food and agriculture and is oriented toward contributing solutions to the intersecting challenges of diet-related chronic disease, food and nutrition security, and ensuring the long-term viability of sustainable food production. Her approach to these challenges is informed by growing up working on her family’s farming and ranching operation, engaging with international stakeholders to build consensus on agricultural trade policy, and working with children and families as an early childhood and school foodservice dietitian. For more than 4 years, she has partnered with FRESHFARM FoodPrints, an experiential food education program embedded in 21 Washington, DC partner schools, to engage in mixed-methods research that strengthens the evidence base for the enduring effects of school-based food education. Her dissertation work established a child-centered conceptual framework for food literacy and developed and validated a scale to measure food literacy in upper elementary children. After GW, she will be working as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Food and Agriculture Research Mission in the School of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis.
Mariana Fagundes Grilo
Dissertation Title: Perceptions of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) and NSS front-of-package labels among parents in Brazil and the United States
Dissertation Advisor: Allison Sylvetsky, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition, The University of Rhode Island
Mariana F. Grilo's research interests focus on nutrition policy, food labeling, and food environments, with an emphasis on improving diet quality and reducing health disparities. In her dissertation, she examined parents' perceptions of non-sugar sweeteners and front-of-package nutrition labeling in Brazil and the United States, generating evidence to inform nutrition policy and public health decision-making. She has contributed to peer-reviewed publications and presented her research at national and international conferences. She earned her PhD from the Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition Program at George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and will continue her work in nutrition and public health research as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Nick Foreman
Dissertation Title: Low-Intensity Exercise Attenuates the Metabolic but not Cardiovascular Effects of Acute High-Fat Overfeeding
Dissertation Advisor: Matthew Barberio, PhD, FACSM, Associate Professor, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Nick Foreman’s research focuses on lifestyle modifications to understand human physiology and improve cardiometabolic health. His dissertation was a randomized crossover trial of high-fat overfeeding with and without exercise for one day each. He found that low-intensity cycling exercise reduced the negative metabolic effects of high-fat overfeeding, providing further evidence for the benefits of exercise, even when accompanied by significant food intake. His dissertation findings were presented at national conferences of the American Physiological Society and the American College of Sports Medicine, where he also received travel and research awards. Prior to GW, he received a Masters degree in Kinesiology and a Bachelors degree in Human Physiology from the University of Minnesota. He is now a postdoctoral fellow in NIDDK at the NIH in Bethesda, MD, where his research will focus on exercise and nutrition interventions to improve cardiometabolic health in adolescents and young adults with type 2 diabetes.
Heather Wopat
Dissertation Title: Associations Between Diet, Hepcidin, and Relative Dose Intensity Among Women Receiving Chemotherapy for Breast or Gynecological Cancer
Dissertation Advisor: Kim Robien, PhD, MS, Associate Research Professor, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Heather's research examines associations between food security status, dietary intake patterns, and iron and inflammatory biomarkers with chemotherapy completion among women with breast cancer. For her dissertation, she used data from a prospective, observational study of women who were diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancer to investigate these associations. She received a PhD degree from the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. After GW, she will join the American Heart Association as a Science and Health Advisor.