Student Corner Interview

Kristen Gravani
Dietetics Student
Cornell University

Tell us about yourself and your education.

My name is Kristen Gravani and I am from Ithaca, NY. I am Nutritional Sciences major with an RD concentration/Communications minor. I am currently completing my junior year at Cornell University.

What is your connection to collegiate sports?

I race for the Alpine Ski team at Cornell, so I am aware of the demands on a college athlete. I also work with the Cornell wrestling team, conducting research on performance and weight loss. My research partner, Casey DePasquale, and I communicate regularly with the athletes, coaches, and team doctor so that we understand the demands of the sport.

How did you become interested in nutrition and sports nutrition, in particular?

I was brought up around both athletics and nutrition. My father is a food scientist and it was natural for him to suggest foods to eat before workouts and to talk to me about the latest research on healthy food choices. Sports nutrition was of special in interest to me because I had been a gymnast for 10 years. Watching girls struggle to lose weight in unhealthy ways showed me how poor nutritional choices can affect athletics and overall wellbeing. Looking back, most of my coaches and trainers were interested in nutrition but not actually qualified to give nutritional advice. Regardless, many of my teammates followed their nutrition guidance. The lack of other nutrition resources for student athletes encouraged me to pursue the field of sports nutrition.

You worked as a summer intern at the International Food Information Council (IFIC). Tell us about that experience and something you learned.

I worked as an International Relations intern at IFIC. It was an amazing experience. I cannot say enough good things about the people I learned from and worked with in the IFIC office in Washington, DC. Each day I read the new reports and research findings that were sent to IFIC. My job was to summarize the findings and send them in “Global Issue Analyses and Weekly Updates”, a service which enabled food companies and media sources to stay informed on the latest consumer issues and nutritional findings. I also worked on the Spanish translation project. Our goal was to translate IFIC’s research documents into a Spanish format on a linked web page so that the information would be available a wider population.

While working at IFIC I learned how important it is for consumers to obtain correct information from the media. People often worry when presented with news of new nutritional findings or food-borne outbreaks. However, they usually do not understand the implications of the problem or findings and may believe whatever the media tells them. After my summer at IFIC, I concluded that communication is a key factor in helping the public become nutritionally aware consumers. My experience at IFIC helped me decide to change my major. That is the reason I currently am completing pre-dietetics requirements. I also added a communications minor.

What has been your experience in sports nutrition research? What are your goals for this project?

Last summer I began sports nutrition research on weight loss and performance with the Cornell varsity wrestling team. Under the supervision of Virginia Utermohlen, PhD, Division of Nutritional Sciences, I conducted a follow-up study based on previous work in 2004 with the Cornell varsity men’s rowing team. We assessed the athletes’ food choices in and out of season, evaluated their average weight loss before wrestling matches, and tested each athlete participate with grip dynamometer test. Data was gathered once at the beginning of the wrestling season and again at the end. My research partner, Casey, and I are currently analyzing the data and have interviews with the coaches and several athletes scheduled for the fall. Our goal is to suggest alternative conditioning strategies that will maintain strong athletic performance while preventing extreme weight fluctuation. Because the Cornell wrestling program is highly successful, we know that coaches will be cautious concerning any proposed changes. However, we are collaborating with the team trainer and physicians and, at the very least, will make the coaches aware of any major nutritional problems we encounter with the athletes.

What are your professional goals? Once you become a registered dietitian, what kind of work do you want to do?

I would like to earn a master’s degree in exercise science as well as become a registered dietitian. After that, my goal is to provide sports nutrition counseling for professional or collegiate athletes. I would also enjoy delivering presentations to high school athletic teams and teach young athletes the importance of a balanced diet for both health and performance.

Is there anything else you would like to share with other students?

My advice would be to get involved early if you are interested in sports nutrition. I suggest diversifying your internship experiences as well. My work at IFIC taught me about the policy and communication aspects of nutrition. This gave me a more well-rounded experience in the field and made me realize how important it is for athletes, as well at the public, to obtain scientifically correct information. Lastly, do not hesitate to ask professors or professionals in your area of interest for advice on internships, research opportunities, or ways to further your nutrition experiences. Everyone I have worked with has been incredibly helpful and I am very grateful to have worked with all of them.

5/28/07