Early Career Nutrition (ECN) Interest Group
ASN’s Early Career Nutrition (ECN) Interest Group serves as a conduit of information and opportunities from ASN and the nutrition community at-large to more than 1,600 Early Career members.
It is the mission of the ECN to provide a platform for information, collaboration, and career development for emerging professionals interested in nutrition.
“I am honored to serve as the 2025-26 Chair of the ECN interest group. It is exciting to be part of a network of nutrition professionals from around the U.S. and the world. The ECN executive committee continuously strives to deliver activities all year long through webinars, networking events as well as professional development opportunities. We continue to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in all our events.
Feel free to reach out to us if you have any comments or suggestions. We are looking forward to meeting you at our events.”
Candida Joan Rebello, PhD, RD
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Feel free to contact Mariah Bower, ASN Staff, with questions.
Early Career Nutrition membership in ASN is an essential step to elevate your career! Membership allows you to:
- Access to professional development opportunities and resources
- Network with peers and leaders in the field
- Take advantage of CV-building leadership opportunities within ASN and beyond
- Be the first to receive access to exclusive mentoring opportunities
- Have access to information on the latest job openings and funding opportunities
- The chance to apply for awards and travel grants
- Opportunities to give back to students
- Access to the free online content of ASN, including all ASN journals
- Access free online content for Nutrition Today
Early Career Nutrition Members account for almost 20% of total ASN membership
Get To Know The ECN Interest Group Executive Committee Members 2023-2024
ECN Professional Development Opportunities
We have professional development activities for the ECN members throughout the year including those for the annual conference.
Professional Development – Mentoring Program
In Progress
Professional Development – Networking Program
November 17, 2023
Webinar 1 – Preparing for a Non-Academic Career (Recording)
To access the recording of this webinar, click here. Registration is required to view the recording.
While graduate students and post-docs may be aware of careers outside academia, they may not know in what those jobs entail and how to obtain them. This webinar gathers three early career professionals who work(ed) in non-academic careers such as industry (e.g., consumer packaged goods), consulting and government who will share insights as to the career path they chose and what tools they used to obtain their jobs. The speakers are Katherine Pett (Senior Nutrition Scientist, Kraft), Katie Pawelczyk (Director, FoodMinds), and Kelly Higgins (Exponent, Inc. and Former Nutrition Scientist, USDA). The final twenty minutes of the webinar will allow attendees the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers.
Webinar 2 – Fundraising and Professional Opportunities for Early-Career Nutrition Professionals (Recording)
To access the recording of this webinar, click here. Registration is required to view the recording.
This webinar will introduce funding resources for nutrition researchers, with an emphasis on unique opportunities for Early-Stage Investigators, along with key facts about the revisions to the NIH Application and Review Process. Representatives from the National Institutes of Health (NIH/NIDDK), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Dairy Council will lead a presentation and participate as panelists.
Webinar 3 – Thriving in the Middle: Achieving Balance During the Early to Mid-Career Shift (Recording)
To access the recording of this webinar, click here. Registration is required to view the recording.
In this hour-long webinar, you’ll hear from and engage with a panel of mid-career nutrition professionals about their diverse career paths and how they have navigated the early to mid-career transition. This webinar will focus on the path to mid-career by discussing actions to prioritize in order to gain promotion, all while achieving a healthy work-life balance.
NUTRITION 2026 Annual Conference Activities
Washington DC, July 25-28, 2026
- Symposium
- Social Hour
- Research Awards
- Postdoctoral Research Award Competition
- Early Career Research Award Competition
- Speed Mentoring Event (Collaborative work with the Student Interest Group)
Current Job Openings
Visit the new ASN Job Board to see current employment opportunities.
Funding Opportunities
The American Society for Nutrition Foundation offers a variety of funding and leadership opportunities.
ECN Member Spotlights
Through quarterly member spotlights, the ASN ECN aims to highlight the diversity of its members, foster collaboration, and promote networking. These spotlights emphasize the important work our members do to promote nutrition in their respective fields as well as to advance diversity and inclusion. To nominate an ECN member to be featured, please contact Dr. Nika Larian at [email protected].
Sponsorship
With a professional membership of 8,000+ and a digital audience of 60,000+ each month, you can easily reach your target audience through ASN, including ECN members.
All advertisements placed on ASN’s digital or physical properties are subject to review and final approval by ASN.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the ECN members?
Early career professionals within 10 years after receiving a terminal degree, which includes young professionals interested in nutrition and other related disciplines.
The ECN welcomes early career professionals including clinicians, postdoctoral fellows, medical residents, and educators from stakeholders including research, education, clinical care, industry, and government.
Currently, ECN has 1,664 members and constitutes 19.6% of the total ASN membership.
How do I become an ECN member?
When you become an ASN member, you will be automatically categorized as an ECN member if you are within 10 years of receiving a terminal degree.