Valerie B. Duffy

Valerie B. Duffy is a Professor and Graduate Program Director at the University of Connecticut's Department of Allied Health Sciences. Her research focuses on chemosensory variation in humans and its impact on food perception and intake, alongside community-based interventions to improve children's nutrition and physical activity, particularly for economically disadvantaged populations.

Education: Human Nutrition (BS) from Cornell University, Nutrition Science (MS) and Registered Dietitian credential from Rush University, Psychophysics of Taste from University of Connecticut, and postdoctoral training at Yale University School of Medicine.

Her work spans sensory science, public health nutrition, and digital health interventions. Key areas include taste/smell disorders, food environment mapping, and technology-enabled nutrition education. Recent research emphasizes food swamps, GIS-based resource mapping, and digital food literacy tools.

She mentors undergraduate and graduate students in community nutrition projects and has received institutional recognition for excellence in teaching, research, and service.