Get Involved – Tools for Members
Advocate for Nutrition
Together we represent more than 7,000 individuals dedicated to nutrition science and research. Each of us can play a valuable role in advancing the Society’s public policy agenda, and AACN encourages your involvement!
Every legislative session, policymakers make decisions that shape the nutrition landscape and may impact you, your research, your employer, and your community, region, or state.
As a constituent and nutrition professional, you can provide valuable input to help guide decision making and make a difference!
Resources
AACN offers a wealth of resources to help members become advocates for nutrition research, in addition to sharing the Society’s formal communications to Congress and various federal agencies to serve as talking points for members. Regular advocacy updates are communicated via the Society’s Health and Nutrition Policy Newsletter, distributed semi-monthly.
It’s critical that nutrition researchers get involved in public policy to ensure that policymakers understand how nutrition research influences global health and economies, and how legislative and regulatory policies affect the ability of nutrition researchers to successfully conduct research that will have a positive impact on public health.
ASN Recommends Members to Serve as Potential NIH Grant Reviewers
AACN recommends member scientists to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Scientific Review to serve as grant reviewers through an online portal specific to scientific societies such as AACN. This makes it much more likely that AACN members will be located and invited to serve by NIH scientific review officers. Find out if you’re qualified to serve! Are you:
- An assistant, associate, or full professor with an active research program and with current extramural funding from the NIH?
- Willing to serve as a reviewer if called upon?
- Seen as an expert with integrity in the field of nutrition science?
- Not currently a standing member of an NIH study section or advisory council?
If you answered yes to all of the above qualifications and would like for AACN to recommend you as a potential NIH grant reviewer, please send Sarah Ohlhorst all of the following information:
- Name
- Degree
- Your current CV
- NIH Commons ID
- ORCiD Identifier
- Email address
- Key terms that reflect your broad expertise (e.g. cardiovascular disease; etc.)
- Key terms the reflect your research focus (e.g. cardiac contractility; etc.)
- Key terms that reflect your methodological expertise (e.g. population-level statistical methods; etc.)
- Up to 3 relevant NIH study sections where you could serve
- Any additional information regarding your suitability as a reviewer
Useful Links
Learn how to get your research considered for inclusion in the Dietary Guidelines!
Download AACN’s free tip sheet with 14 guidelines on how to get your research in front of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
ASN’s Committee on Advocacy and Science Policy wants to hear from you! If you have an issue that you believe the Society should consider within its advocacy program or any questions, please contact Sarah D. Ohlhorst, M.S., R.D., Chief Science Policy Officer at sohlhorst@nutrition.org.