Laura Bellows, associate professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, has been named the new Evalyn Edwards Milman ’60 Fellow in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR).
The Milman Fellowship program supports Cornell Human Ecology faculty in the BCTR who advance its mission to expand, strengthen, and speed the connections between cutting-edge research and efforts to enhance human development, health and well-being.
Bellows came to Cornell in 2021 after 20 years at Colorado State University. Bellows’ research centers on community-informed behavioral interventions, focused on the development of eating habits and physical activity patterns in early childhood, including how parents’ behavior and a child’s home environment affect these behaviors. Her focus on youth parallels the preference for the Milman Fellow to focus on the needs of younger children.
“It’s an honor to be selected for this fellowship as the BCTR’s mission aligns so closely with my commitment to engage with community partners to address public health issues through programs and research,” said Bellows. “I look forward to working with BCTR colleagues to promote and advance translational research at Cornell.”
Bellows noted that she’s particularly excited to work with students, including PRYDE Scholars and graduate students, to train the next generation of scholars engaging in translational research via designing and evaluating community-informed interventions.
“The seamless blend of creativity and scientific rigor that is characteristic of Dr. Bellows’ work makes her designation as the new Milman Fellow particularly exciting for the BCTR,” said Anthony Burrow, BCTR director and Ferris Family Associate Professor of Life Course Studies at Cornell Human Ecology. “The chance to support her research is a tremendous opportunity, and we look forward to learning alongside her during the next couple of years.”
Bellows’ work has received funding from the Department of Agriculture, the National Institutes of Health, and various community foundations. Bellows received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Barack Obama in 2011 and received the Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior’s Mid-Career Award in 2019.
Bellows will hold the Milman Fellow role through June 2025.
