Heather Wasser

Dr. Heather Wasser serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A Registered Dietitian and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, she specializes in behavioral interventions for infant feeding practices and child development during the first 1,000 days of life, with domestic and global implementation experience.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2012)
• MPH in Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2003)
• BS in Dietetics, Fontbonne University (2000)

Dr. Wasser's research centers on infant-caregiver feeding dynamics, examining bidirectional influences between infant behavior and practices of mothers, fathers, and grandmothers. She pioneers interventions using social support theories and mobile health technologies to optimize dietary intake, growth trajectories, and developmental outcomes, with fieldwork spanning Appalachia to international disaster relief contexts like post-Hurricane Helene.

Her recognitions include:

• Geraldine M. Piper Memorial Scholarship (2011)
• Pre-doctoral Traineeship in Maternal and Child Obesity (2008-2010)
• Gillings School Research Excellence Award (2023)

As a faculty mentor, Dr. Wasser guides graduate students in nutrition science and public health practice, with research featured in Gillings News for innovations in breastfeeding support systems and weight-management technology. Her work bridges clinical lactation expertise with population-level intervention design through UNC's Department of Nutrition infrastructure.