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THE TUFTS DAILY
TUFTSDAILY.COM
Monday, September 8, 2014
VOLUME LXVIII, NUMBER 4
Where You Read It First Est. 1980
Mozaffarian appointed Tufts Dining Services to expand Friedman School dean campus food options by Nina Goldman Daily Editorial Board
Dariush Mozaffarian, a researcher in cardiology and epidemiology, was named dean of Tufts' Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy on July 1. He will be the Friedman School's fourth dean, following Robin Kanarek, who served as the interim dean for three years. Previously, Mozaffarian conducted research into the dietary basis of cardiovascular disorders as an associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), where he co-founded and co-directed the Program in Cardiovascular Epidemiology. He said he had to choose between continuing his research full-time and leading the Friedman School when he was asked to last winter. "My major career interests have always been to have an impact on the diets of people eating both in the U.S. and globally," he said. "When contacted with this position, my first thoughts were, 'Where could I potentially have a greater impact?'" Mozaffarian said he saw untapped potential in the breadth of the Friedman School, the only graduate school focusing on nutrition science and policy in the United States. "The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has not only current great impacts, but really the potential for even more impact on the health of Americans and the world," he said. "For me, ultimately the decision was very easy." William Masters, a professor and chair of the Department of Food and Nutrition Policy at the Friedman School, served as a member of the dean search committee. The committee consisted of professors, administrators, experts and students. "The challenge is to find a dynamic leader who has a vision for the school and for the field, who can attract the kind of resources and people who make Tufts great," Masters said. While the committee looked at candidates with various backgrounds, including academics, policymakers and industry professionals, Masters said Mozaffarian's standing in the field made him an easy choice. "He's an extraordinary figure in nutrition science policy," Masters said.
He noted that in recent media debate about the role of fat and carbohydrates in diet, Mozaffarian has been a go-to commentator. "Who do they call? They call him," Masters said. "When people are looking for wisdom about diet-related disease, he's someone who has a very unique position." Mozaffarian said he first became interested in nutrition as a medical resident at Stanford University. "I found that nutrition health is the single most important factor in my patients' health and that it was almost totally missing from medical school [curricula] and the healthcare system," Mozaffarian said. "I thought that about 90 percent of our dietary guidelines were made up, not based on very strong evidence." The Friedman School itself is unique for combining aspects of nutrition that are often studied separately in medical schools and policy centers, according to Mozaffarian. "I think part one of the challenges of nutrition has been that we've had sort of separate camps, generally," he said. "That sometimes leads to ... policies that actually maybe are harmful for the population." While Mozaffarian has studied various intersections of nutrition science and policy in the past, he said he's excited to expand outside of his area of expertise into topics like food security. "All of these parts of nutrition are important, and they're all things that I've been interested in over my career in different ways," he said. "So on the one hand, this feels just like coming home." As dean, Mozaffarian looks to advance the school's goals and further integrate the school's operations. Since welcoming its first class of 17 students in 1981, the Friedman School has expanded to offer a dozen degree programs to more than 200 students. "The Friedman School has three missions in my mind: education, research and impact," Mozaffarian said. "What I hopefully can bring to the school is a passion for nutrition and a passion for a nutrition across all of its realms." Masters said Mozaffarian has already brought change to the school, having done away
by Sarah Zheng Daily Editorial Board
Tufts Dining Services will implement a number of updates to its dining operations at Tufts this year in response to feedback from faculty, staff and students. The updates include a renovation of the Commons Deli and Grill, which will be reopened as the Commons Marketplace later this fall. Director of Dining and Business Services Patti Klos explained that the new Commons Marketplace will feature five platforms: tossed salads, panini and wraps, grilled and fried products, a hot and cold food bar and groceries and local items. There will also be a greater variety of food selections both in the Commons as well as other dining areas around campus, with foods such as sushi, customizable sandwiches and burritos, artisan flatbreads and high protein drinks now available, according to Klos.
see DINING, page 2
Alex Knapp / The Tufts Daily
Newly updated Commons Marketplace is set to open later this fall.
Tufts students, alumni travel to Iceland for marathon by Daniel Gottfried Daily Editorial Board
A group of 12 runners from Tufts, a number of whom are members of the Tufts Marathon Team, traveled to Reykjavik, Iceland to participate in the 2014 Islandsbanski Reykjavik Marathon through sponsorship by the Office of Alumni Relations' Tufts Travel-Learn Program from Aug. 20 to Aug. 24. Tufts Marathon Team Coach Don Megerle said that team member Annie Levine, a junior and photo editor for Daily, placed eighth female overall in her first ever marathon, qualifying for the Boston Marathon with a time of 3:19:50. Levine said she was surprised by her performance, which sur-
passed her goal during training. "I trained to hit 3:30:00, but I ended up getting 3:19:[50], and it was a shock," she said. "I didn't realize that I had that capability. It was a struggle though that last ten miles." Megerle explained that he was in communication with some of the runners prior to the marathon to discuss training regiments, but distance over the summer precluded training in person. "I sat with Annie Levine on the plane coming over to Reykjavik, and I had no idea about her running ability," Megerle said. "I was just concerned that she was mentally and physically able to run ... It was a great accomplishment." Participation in the Reykjavik Marathon was organized as part of the Office of Alumni
Relations' Tufts Travel-Learn Program, which organizes trips for Tufts alumni, family and friends, and was designed for both runners and non-runners, according to Megerle. "Tufts Travel-Learn had sent programs to Iceland before, and it had been a huge success, so [Program Director] Usha Sellers at Tufts Travel-Learn suggested that we send runners, friends of runners, and send them over to the marathon," he said. Levine said she viewed the trip as a way of seeing another part of the world without going abroad for a semester. "I was in Florida all summer doing an internship, and it was kind of boring and kind of monotsee ICELAND, page 2
see MOZAFFARIAN, page 2
Vote tomorrow — Tuesday, Sept. 9 Are you registered to vote on campus? If so, you can vote in tomorrow’s primary election. The results of tomorrow’s election will decide which Democratic and Republican candidates get on the ballot for the general election on Nov. 4. If you are registered in Medford, the polls are located in the Gantcher Center. If you are registered in Somerville, the polls are located at the Holy Bible Baptist Church on 14 Chapel Street.
courtesy Don Megerle
Tufts marathon runners pose for a picture in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Inside this issue
Today’s sections
Tufts introduces new colonialism studies minor.
Author of the common reading book, Wes Moore, will speak at Tufts this evening.
see FEATURES, page 3
see ARTS, page 6
News 1 Features 3 Arts & Living 5 Editorial | Op-Ed 8
Op-Ed Comics Sports
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