Specific Aims

This symposium is a student-led initiative: an educational event planned by students for students. We invite students of all levels, disciplines, and interests both domestic and international to connect with researchers, academics, practitioners, industry professionals, and government officials actively working in the fields of nutrition, public health, and data science. Through this event, we aim to showcase both the methodological complexities of rigorous data analysis as well as provide an opportunity for the next generation of professionals to build networks for future collaboration.

To maximize student involvement, our hybrid event has free registration for all participants. In doing this, we aim to showcase emerging topics and innovative approaches to tackling some of the most complex and challenging nutrition and public health problems facing the world today with the most diverse group of participants possible.

This year, the 2023 Tufts Nutrition Data Symposium provides an opportunity for students, faculty, practitioners, and researchers to:

(1) Promote Transdisciplinary Research – We invite participants from all corners of nutrition and public health fields to present their research and transcend disciplinary boundaries. Such applications and interactions across specialties in unexpecting new contexts fosters opportunities for creativity and innovation.

(2) Engage in Professional Networking – We challenge participants to engage with one another to establish partnerships beyond institutional and generational boundaries. This serves both to foster new research opportunities as well as broaden professional networks for students transitioning to professional settings.

(3) Encourage Diverse and Inclusive Collaboration – We encourage participants to engage with and on scientific research teams that promote intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and multicultural knowledge sharing and skill development. This integrative curation of ideas, expertise, and perspectives enables the creation of innovative solutions to match the complexity of public health problems we face as a discipline.

(4) Promote Research and Discussion in the Topic Areas of Sustainability – This theme aims to highlight solution- and implementation-oriented research that cuts across all the Friedman School divisions. The “Sustainability Now!” theme is timely and significant, as it promotes engagement with some of the greatest threats and obstacles facing public health and research today.

For general inquiries on the symposium program and/or registration, to provide feedback to the Student Planning Committee, or for those seeking sponsorship or collaboration, please email us at tnds@tufts.edu!