Honors & Awards

The Institute for Global Nutrition (IGN) proudly congratulates Dr. Reina Engle-Stone and Dr. Lauren Au on being named 2026 Excellence in Nutrition Fellows of ASN (FASN) by The American Society for Nutrition. 

IGN Faculty Member, Dr. Jennifer L. Falbe (Department of Human Ecology) received the Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award from the Academic Senate and Federation in recognition of her outstanding public service and sustained collaboration with communities, policy members, and public agencies. 

Dr. Reina Engle-Stone (Department of Nutrition) has been named as one of eight Chancellor's Fellows for 2025/2026. 

The General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition Innovation Award recognizes an investigator whose scientific contributions advance the understanding of healthy dietary patterns, which includes whole grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables and/or dairy. Eligible recipients are conducting mechanistic, epidemiological, clinical, and/or translational research contributing to the understanding of the benefits of a healthy dietary pattern. 
This award is endowed by the General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation awarded Katherine Kwon the 2024 Jean Hankin Nutritional Epidemiology Research Grant of $20,000. The Jean Hankin Nutritional Epidemiology Research Grant is given to provide financial support to a doctoral student working on a dissertation in the area of nutritional epidemiology.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation selected Jonnatan Fajardo as the 2024 $10,000 Foundation Scholarship winner. Jonnatan said, “I am incredibly honored to receive the 2024 Commission on Dietetic Registration Doctoral Scholarship, which will significantly support my research in global nutrition. This generous scholarship has already allowed me to attend the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE), where I was able to connect with leading experts and gain valuable insights that will enhance my research.

 HappyFeed co-founders CEO Davrina Rianda, Nutritional Biology Ph.D candidate, CFO/CMO Galih Setiawan, UC Davis MBA student; and CTO Nathanael Thomas, won the $12,500 Food and Agriculture Award at the 2024 UC Davis Big Bang! Competition sponsored by the Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.  

Lauren was chosen as an Early Career finalist for The Mighty Micronutrients Early Career Award based on careful review of abstract submissions to the 2023 Micronutrient Forum’s 6th Global Conference in The Hague, Netherlands, October, 2023, by individuals who self-selected as having 0-5 years of professional experience. An expert committee selected abstracts across all four program tracks that reflect a significant focus towards global, regional, or national micronutrient health issues and overall technical or policy rigor.

Davis, CA (August 1, 2023) – The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) has announced that Christine Stewart, PhD, MPH, will serve as Director-At-Large, Global Nutrition on their Board of Directors. Stewart has been a member of ASN since 2005, serving in various volunteer and leadership positions within the society. Her two-year term as Director-At-Large begins on August 1, 2023.

Christine Stewart, MPH, PhD, the Corinne L. Rustici Endowed Chair in Applied Human Nutrition, Professor of Nutrition, and Director of the Institute for Global Nutrition was awarded the prestigious Nevin Scrimshaw Mid-Career Award in Global Nutrition from the American Society for Nutrition. Each year, this award is given to a mid-career professional who has done innovative work to advance the field of global nutrition and who has had a sustained record of substantial research, mentoring and training.