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The Dietetics Program faculty are, left to right: Lesley Jones, Courtney Fose, Reza Hakkak, Lisa Jansen, Stephanie Lopez-Neyman and Wei Li.

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The Dietetics Program faculty are, left to right: Lesley Jones, Courtney Fose, Reza Hakkak, Lisa Jansen, Stephanie Lopez-Neyman and Wei Li.

June 2, 2025 | By Courtney Fose

Greetings from the Dietetics Program in the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition in the College of Health Professions at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. As program director for the master of science in dietetics degree program, I am happy to share some exciting updates.

This year, we welcomed Stephanie M. Lopez-Neyman, Ph.D., MPH, RD, LD, as an assistant professor. Her expertise in community nutrition will greatly expand the faculty’s knowledge base within our department. In addition, Lopez-Neyman received the prestigious Albert Schweitzer Fellowship during her doctoral studies and is now recognized as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow for Life. The fellowship trains future professionals to serve and empower vulnerable populations, helping them lead healthier lives and build stronger communities.

Lisa Jansen, Ph.D., assistant professor, is undertaking an important systematic review on the impact of maternal hydration status on breastfeeding outcomes. Furthermore, she continues in her work as a Research Project Lead for the National Institute of General Medical Sciences-funded research study assessing the feasibility of Glucose and E-Monitoring (the GEM Study) in helping Arkansas women achieve a healthy weight-gain trajectory throughout pregnancy.

Lesley Jones, MS, RD, LD, assistant professor, is making strides as the Public Policy Coordinator for the Arkansas Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition. She is pleased to report that the Arkansas House Bill 1185 Dietitian Licensure Compact has been adopted as Act 799 after successfully passing the Arkansas House and Senate Committees this spring. This significant legislation will facilitate interstate practice for dietitians while maintaining public health and safety through state regulatory authority via the Dietitian Licensure Compact Commission. The compact is poised to reduce the administrative burden of acquiring multiple licenses across states for registered dietitians.

Wei Li, Ph.D., assistant professor, is working on a research proposal submission to NIH and finalizing a book chapter that he co-authored with Reza Hakkak, Ph.D., professor and department chair. He was recently accepted into the ACRI Scholar Program. Li is also taking part in the college’s  Teaching Scholars program to incorporate active learning into his micronutrient course.

Hakkak continues to work on his USDA-funded grant and with Li. They have published several manuscripts. Their most recent manuscript reported that soy protein can prevent obesity-induced changes in gut microbial composition. Hakkak and Li will present this finding at American Society for Nutrition in early June in Orlando, Florida. As part of their continuing research efforts, they submitted another research proposal to the  U.S. Department of Agriculture that is currently under review. Hakkak continues to serve as the associate dean for research in the College of Health Professions to facilitate faculty in scholarly activities and research endeavors.

On a personal note, I was honored to receive the “Outstanding Dietetics Educator” award for the South Central region at the annual nutrition and dietetics educators and preceptors conference in Memphis, Tennessee this spring.

Looking ahead, our graduates and faculty members are preparing to present their recent research findings at the upcoming American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, in June and the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Nashville, Tennessee, in October.

As we celebrate our graduating cohort this August, it’s inspiring and fulfilling to see our alumni making meaningful impacts in a wide variety of settings. Their success is a testament to the quality of education they receive and our commitment to fostering hands-on experience alongside academic proficiency.

We are excited to announce plans to expand our program to the UAMS Northwest Campus, making it more accessible for students choosing to study in Northwest Arkansas. Meeting our students’ aspirations and needs will continue to be our top priority.

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Courtney Fose, M.S., RDN, LD, CNSC, FAND, is the director of the Dietetics Program and an assistant professor in the Department of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition.