Nutrition 2019: A Student Experience

As a student member of ASN, I was able to attend the American Society for Nutrition’s annual conference this year! It was held in Baltimore, Maryland at the Baltimore Convention Center. I spent the weekend attending sessions, meeting with exhibitors, and meeting other ASN members. This was the second annual meeting for ASN, and from what I hear they just keep getting better. This was my first ever nutrition conference and as a student, it had a huge impact on me.

So, do you want to learn more about my experience? Keep reading!

Nutrition 2019 – Conference Details

In terms of event details, ASN provided lots of information up front about how to check in, how to navigate the conference and most importantly – where to find food! On the Nutrition 2019 mobile app, you could make a schedule for yourself based on your favorite topics. The rooms for each session were really easy to find. There was plenty of signage and the app even included the room numbers.

On Saturday, they had an awesome welcome meeting for all of the new attendees (members and non-members) to give everyone a background of the organization. We were also able to meet the leaders of ASN and they even gave us these cute water bottles as a welcome gift.

When I arrived, they had a check-in area where I was given a badge with my name and affiliation, with my meal passes included. I was able to add a ribbon that read, “student member.” I was also given a goodie bag to help me carry everything I collected in “The Hub.”

The Hub was where the exhibit hall, posters, and lunch were set up. There was also ASN Live where there were live presentations and interviews. At the ASN membership booth, the student members sold t-shirts and other ASN branded swag. The opening reception was held in the Hub Saturday night.

Food at Nutrition 2019

As an allergy friendly food blogger, I was really excited to see the thought that ASN put into the food that they offered at the conference. They had separate stations set-up for lunch. They were labeled as gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free. I enjoyed a made-to-order poke bowl.

There were plenty of snacks available for purchase including fruit, vegan and nut free oatmeal raisin cookies, and a nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate chip brownie.

Why Join ASN as a Student Member?

1 – The opportunity to attend meetings that cover the most current scientific research.

The big topic this year was the gut microbiome. The research was cutting edge. Two of my favorite sessions were:

• Eating for Two Trillion: Pros and Cons of Diet-Induced Shifts in the Gut Microbiome
• Effects of Diet and Migration on the Microbiome (Available On Demand here!)

2 – Networking opportunities

You are able to brush shoulders with some of the most experienced researchers in the field. There were people there from all over the world. ASN also hosted a social media influencer meet-up in The Hub. I was able to meet some other bloggers and influencers in the nutrition space.

If you are interested in getting into the nutrition field or if you are a nutrition student – I would highly recommend you connecting with the American Society for Nutrition. They have such a great support system and the professional resources are endless! ASN is very active on social media – always posting about the latest research, connecting with followers and promoting ASN events.