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About Ambria Crusan, PhD, MS, RD/LD

Ambria started teaching at St. Kate's in 2017. After working as a Clinical Dietitian for 4 years, she pursued her PhD in Human Nutrition and a career in academia. She is a Registered Dietitian passionate about nutrition assessment, carotenoids, diet quality, and health equity. With a primary focus in population health and cardiometabolic disease risk related to carotenoid intake and serum carotenoid status, Ambria is currently an Early-Stage Investigator with the University of Minnesota’s C2DREAM P50 Center, researching avenues to reduce disparities in cardiovascular disease experienced by Latine communities in Minnesota. Other research avenues involve food security for college students, the role of carotenoids in cardiovascular disease risk, and health equity in medical nutrition therapy. Ambria is involved in many Interprofessional Education (IPE) opportunities as she hopes to promote the field of dietetics in these settings and finds high value in IPE collaboration for students.

Positions

Present Assistant Professor, St. Catherine University
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Nutrition Instructor, University of Minnesota - Duluth ‐ Applied Human Science
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Disciplines

Research Interests

Grants

2022 - Present Increased access to fruits and vegetables for DASH Diet compliance in immigrant Hispanic/Latinx individuals with hypertension
GHR Foundation
AEG Innovative Scholarship Grant
Role: PI
2022 - Present Increased access to fruits and vegetables for DASH Diet compliance in immigrant Hispanic/Latinx individuals with hypertension
NIHMD - P50MD017342
C2DREAM (M. Allen; R. Hardeman, C. Patten, MPIs)
Role: PI
2020 - Present National Institute of Food and Agriculture Community Food Projects Planning Grant
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Role: Writing and planning collaborator
Colleague(s): St. Kate's Campus, Augsburg Campus, and Hamline Campus
2020 - 2022 The Plaster House - Tanzania for Evaluation of Rehabilitative Care for Children with Disabilities
GHR Foundation
AEG Innovative Scholarship Grant
Role: Personnel/Co-author
Colleague(s): Interprofessional Team from Social Work, Physican Assistant, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Nursing
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Professional Service and Affiliations

2020 - Present CARIG Newsletter Editor, American Society of Nutrition
2020 - Present Interprofessional Peer Review Circle Coordinator, St. Catherine University
2020 - Present St. Mary’s Medical and Rehabilitative Therapies Clinic Nutrition Coordinator, St. Catherine University
2019 - Present Assessment Committee Member/Co-Chair, St. Catherine University
2018 - Present Member, American Oil Chemists' Society
2018 - Present Carotenoid & Retinoid Interest Group (CARIG) Chair Member, American Society of Nutrition
2017 - Present Member, American Society for Nutrition
2006 - Present Member, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
2018 - 2020 Faculty Scholar, St. Catherine University Clinical Scholars Program
2018 - 2019 FIPCC Health Professional and Course Facilitator, University of Minnesota
2015 Dietetic Internship, University of Minnesota - The Emily Program
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Honors and Awards

  • FASEB Mentored Travel Award Winner (ASN: Nutrition 2018)
  • Exemplary Presentation Winner (NNDC 2018)

Courses

  • Experimental Foods and Nutrition
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Global Serach for Justice: Food and Environmental Justice
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy
  • Intercultural and Community Nutrition
  • Current Issues in Nutrition
  • Food Systems and Policy
  • Intercultural and Community Nutrition
  • Nutrition Foundations

Education

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2020 PhD, University of Minnesota ‐ Human Nutrition
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2015 M.S., University of Minnesota ‐ Nutrition (Biochemistry)
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2011 B.A., College of Saint Benedict ‐ Nutrition
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Contact Information

Phone: 651-690-6695

Email:

ORCID

Presentations (26)