Reya Andrews

Reya Andrews serves as Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Food & Nutrition Education at Eastern Kentucky University, actively contributing to nutrition science through research, teaching, and professional leadership. Her interdisciplinary background bridges philosophical inquiry with clinical nutrition applications.

Educational background includes:

• ABD in Nutrition Sciences, University of Kentucky
• MS in Nutrition Science, Texas Woman's University
• BA in Philosophy, College of Charleston

Her research centers on evolutionary nutrition, exploring ancestral dietary patterns' relevance to modern chronic diseases. She pioneers implementation science frameworks to translate plant-based dietary interventions into clinical practice, with significant focus on sex-specific metabolic responses and micronutrient-substance use interactions in women's health. This work directly addresses gaps in personalized nutrition protocols for conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Recent publications demonstrate rigorous methodology spanning experimental nutrition studies and large-scale epidemiological analyses, consistently emphasizing practical applications for disease prevention. Her work shows increasing emphasis on gender-specific nutritional needs and implementation barriers in real-world settings.

Key recognitions include:

• Unite Predoctoral Fellowship (University of Kentucky, 2025)
• Simpson-Jones Award for Teaching Excellence (UK College of Medicine, 2024)

Dr. Andrews actively shapes nutrition practice through committee leadership in the Vegetarian Nutrition DPG and membership in seven professional societies spanning lifestyle medicine, evolutionary health, and public nutrition. Her Simpson-Jones Award underscores exceptional mentorship in clinical nutrition training, while the Unite Fellowship supports ongoing translational research. Though no dedicated lab exists, her collaborative approach engages students in secondary data analysis and community-based implementation projects.

Her professional network integrates academic, clinical, and policy perspectives through affiliations with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and International Society for Evolution Medicine, providing students unique pathways into evidence-based nutrition practice.