Taylor Bloedon is an Associate Professor in Kinesiology with an emphasis on nutrition and health promotion. She received her Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Oregon where she worked and completed research projects in the social cognition, stereotyping, and intergroup perceptions lab focusing on body image perceptions in women. She completed her M.S. in Nutrition and Food Management/Dietetics with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology at Oregon State University where she focused on nutrition and exercise interventions aimed at reducing relative risk factors for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in sedentary, pre-menopausal, pre-metabolic women and received her Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition Sciences with an emphasis in Exercise Science from the University of Maine, focusing her research on the impact of wild blueberries on exercise-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. She is a Registered Dietitian and a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics and her research interests include examining the integration of nutrition and exercise strategies for improving and maintaining health, improving sports performance, as well as preventing and reducing chronic disease. Her current research focuses on a variety of dietary strategies and lifestyle-related behaviors that impact health. Current projects include examining the effects of strawberry consumption on cardiometabolic disease risk factors and changes in the gut microbiome in post-menopausal women, changes in fat oxidation rates during exercise in healthy active males and females following wild blueberry consumption, and the impact of nutrition on mental health. 

My goal as an educator is to get students to think critically, question information, and challenge themselves to understand the mechanism of action, rather than take things at face value. I want students to feel confident in their ability to find the answers and trust their capabilities, yet recognize when they need assistance. My approach to teaching nutrition is more holistic in nature with the goal to help others improve their relationship with food and eat more intuitively and sustainably. We are all different so there is no one-size-fits-all way of eating and it is important to appreciate and respect where each individual is coming from. I find great joy in interacting with students and learning from them. I enjoy collaborating with other educators and professionals and sharing information and resources to learn from each other as well as broaden the perspectives I bring to students in the classroom. Outside of the classroom (virtual or face to face), I love to be outside playing, rock climbing, running, or having a dance party with my kids.