Meredith Niles

Meredith Theresa Niles
Niles in 2023
Alma mater	University of California, Davis Catholic University of America
Scientific career
Institutions	University of Vermont Brown University United States Department of State
Thesis	Agricultural innovation for climate change mitigation and adaptation : a comparison of New Zealand and California farmers and policies  (2014)

Meredith T. Niles is an American environmental scientist who is the Robert L. Bickford Endowed Professor at the University of Vermont. In 2022, she was named the National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine Scholar.

Early life and education

Niles is from Maryland. ^[1] She was an undergraduate student in politics and environmental studies at Catholic University of America. ^[2] She became interested in food systems after studying a module on food politics. ^[1] She moved to the University of California for her doctoral research, where she worked in ecology and agricultural innovation. She was a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, where studied climate smart agriculture. ^[3]

Research and career

Niles worked for the United States Department of State on the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. She was in the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator. ^[3]

Niles is a food systems scientist who looks to understand and improve the global food system. She focuses on sustainable production and improving food outcomes during crises. In particular, she has worked with farmers to better understand the barriers to adopting more sustainable practices. She has explored how farmers adapt their behavior to account for a changing climate. ^[3]

Niles is the founding Director of the National Food Access and COVID research Team, ^{[4] [5]} a research group who monitored how the pandemic impacted diet and nutritional security.

Awards and honors

• 2010 American Institute of Biological Sciences Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award ^[6]
• 2022 National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine Scholar ^[2]
• 2024 University of Vermont Vogelmann Research Award ^[7]

Selected publications

• Meredith T Niles; Farryl Bertmann; Emily H Belarmino; Thomas Wentworth; Erin Biehl; Roni Neff (15 July 2020). "The Early Food Insecurity Impacts of COVID-19". Nutrients . 12 (7). doi: 10.3390/NU12072096 . ISSN   2072-6643. PMID   32679788. Wikidata   Q97565073.
• Zach Conrad; Meredith T Niles; Deborah A Neher; Eric D Roy; Nicole E Tichenor; Lisa Jahns (18 April 2018). "Relationship between food waste, diet quality, and environmental sustainability". PLOS One . 13 (4): e0195405. doi: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0195405 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   5905889 . PMID   29668732. Wikidata   Q52580530.
• Van R Haden; Meredith T Niles; Mark Lubell; Joshua Perlman; Louise E Jackson (26 December 2012). "Global and local concerns: what attitudes and beliefs motivate farmers to mitigate and adapt to climate change?". PLOS One . 7 (12): e52882. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...752882H. doi: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0052882 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   3530505 . PMID   23300805. Wikidata   Q28710211.

References

1. "Food Systems Faculty Profile: Meredith Niles". www.uvm.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
2. "What's Buzzing National Academy of Medicine Names Meredith Niles An Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine". What's Buzzing. 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
3. "Meredith Niles, PhD | Nutrition and Food Sciences | The University of Vermont". www.uvm.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
4. "Research Collaboration | National Food Access and COVID Research Team". NFACT. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
5. "Executive Team". NFACT. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
6. AIBS. "Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award". AIBS. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
7. "CALS Faculty and Staff Awards | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences | The University of Vermont". www.uvm.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-12.

External links

• Official website