Telema Briggs, School of Graduate Studies (SGS)-Nutritional Sciences program.
Telema Briggs, School of Graduate Studies (SGS)-Nutritional Sciences program, has been chosen as a University and SGS Louis Bevier Fellowship for the 2021-2022 academic year for his dissertation, “Is There Really an App for That?—Determining the Capacity for Utilizing Diet & Nutrition Smartphone Applications as Extensions of Professional Dietetic Practice.” He is the first Nutritional Sciences graduate student in the Nutritional Sciences program to receive this very competitive and prestigious award.
Briggs, who received his bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Hampton University, has held leadership positions in a number of organizations, including president of both Nutritional Sciences and Council of Black Graduates graduate student organizations. In addition, his extensive experiences as a teaching assistant for nutritional sciences, general biology and human ecology also led him to serve as a Rutgers Academy for Scholarship, Teaching and Learning (RASTL) graduate student fellow, developing curriculum workshops to foster the onboarding of incoming graduate student teaching assistants.
Although he will miss teaching, Briggs looks forward to spending the year working on the third chapter of his dissertation examining the operationalization of behavior change constructs within diet apps. Other academic plans for Briggs for the upcoming academic year include presenting his research findings at conferences and taking the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian-nutritionist (RDN). Upon defending his dissertation, Telema will join the ranks of the 4% of all RDNs who hold doctorates.
He also hopes to find the time to continue working as a fitness instructor and personal trainer with Rutgers Recreation and side projects creating recipe e-books and food photography.
Before all that, Briggs plans on taking a well-earned break over the summer vacation, spending time with friends and family.
