UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Department of Nutritional Sciences (NUTR) in Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development (HHD) recently received a gift to establish the Gregory D. and Annette M. Miller Graduate Program Fund in Nutritional Sciences. The fund is designed to provide support for graduate student programs and research-related expenses. It will also provide funds for students to travel to conferences, where they can present their findings and network with nutritional students across the country and the globe.
“I’ve always wanted to give back and help students because so many people helped me along the way," said Gregory, a nutritional science researcher who has worked across the industry both nationally and internationally. "When I was a graduate student, I was fortunate enough to receive travel awards that allowed me to go to a scientific meeting and present my research. Looking back, I realize how valuable that was for my career. I felt like people helped me along the way, and now it’s my opportunity to give back and help the next generation of graduate students along their way.”
HHD’s NUTR program delves into a wide range of research areas related to nutrition and health. Rooted in the sciences of chemistry, biology, physiology, psychology, neuroscience, behavior and development, this program explores how food fuels our bodies and how nutrition choices impact health over time. Gregory and his wife, Annette, established the fund to ensure NUTR graduates have a chance to conduct the research they are interested in and present and defend their findings.
“Having the ability to attend conferences and interact with both peers and more seasoned scientists is vitally important to our graduate’s professional development," Gregory said. "It helps grow them into better scientists.”
The fund also serves as a recruitment tool, helping to attract top candidates from across the country to the program, according to Meg Bruening, head of the NUTR and a public health nutrition researcher and dietitian.
"We are so grateful for the Millers’ generous gift to support our graduate students," Bruening said. "This support is incredibly impactful for recipients, allowing them to share their cutting-edge science. Program funds like the Gregory D. and Annette M. Miller Graduate Program Fund are instrumental in attracting top-tier talent to our program, as they signify a commitment to nurturing research excellence and fostering professional development.”
Gregory began his undergraduate studies at Michigan State University, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in nutritional science. He initially intended to use this degree as a springboard to medical school, but after failing to find a good fit, his professors urged him to apply to graduate school to study nutrition at Penn State. One of his professors called a colleague, and soon, Gregory was enrolled. He earned his master’s degree in 1982 and his doctoral degree in 1986, both in nutrition.
“It turned out great because I loved my time at Penn State," Gregory said. "Usually, people’s allegiances are to their undergraduate institution, but I had such a great experience that I consider myself a Penn Stater.”
After graduation, Gregory went on to work for Kraft Foods in their research and development division where he studied calcium bioavailability and metabolism. While there, he served as an internal consultant on nutrition for their regulatory and marketing departments, helping to develop the nutritional information on their products. Gregory was then recruited to the National Dairy Council (NDC), where he first served as vice president of nutrition research. During the course of his career with the NDC, which spanned more than three decades, he held many titles including senior vice president of research and chief science officer, and he eventually began taking on global responsibilities.
While still with the NDC, Gregory began working collaboratively with the Global Dairy Platform as the global sector lead for nutritional security, where he made regular appeals to the United Nations and led discussions around global policies that were needed to make food systems more stable and provide adequate nutrition for the growing global population. Despite his recent retirement, Gregory remains an active consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
“Communication skills have been vital in my career, as has an awareness of new developments in the field,” Gregory said. “We created this fund to help students have crucial experiences like attending research conferences. Conferences expose students to cutting-edge research, emerging trends, and novel findings in the field. Presenting research at conferences helps hone graduates communication skills, providing them a chance to learn to articulate their findings concisely, respond to questions, and engage with diverse audiences. Through these experiences, they can start on the road to the same kind of rewarding career that I have found thanks to my Penn State education.”
The Gregory D. and Annette M. Miller Graduate Program Fund advances the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.