Scientist, Science Communicator, and Science Advisor

P.K. Newby, ScD, MPH, MS (aka, “The Nutrition Doctor”) is a scientist, author, and entrepreneur with decades of experience researching diet-related diseases; studying how individuals make food choices and their impact on the environment; and educating people about why what we eat matters, from farm to fork.

She is an inspiring thought leader who speaks locally, nationally, and internationally. Highlights include talking future of food at Expo Milan / American Food 2.0 (Milan, 2015), promoting plant-based diets at SXSW (Austin, 2019), and interviewing Chewbacca on food evolution at the Museum of Science (Boston, 2019).

Her most recent book is Food and Nutrition: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2018). Other works include Superfoods (National Geographic, 2016); two e-books on employee health and wellness (Virgin Pulse, 2015); and Foods for Health: Choose and Use the Very Best Foods for Your Family and Our Planet (National Geographic, 2014).

Dr. Newby’s passion for nutrition stems from a life-long love affair with food, from cooking, baking, and gardening as a kid to working in the restaurant industry, including serving as one of the head cooks at a vegetarian café. She’s also an on-air, onstage talent with experience performing as well as producing (she founded a nonprofit theater company, now in its 23rd year).

In 2014-15, she was one of the “best undiscovered cooks” on ABC’s The Taste, where she created plant-based, globally- inspired cuisine rooted in her unique Healthy Hedonism^TM philosophy—and was the last woman standing with domestic goddess Nigella Lawson.

She holds a doctorate from Harvard (ScD) and two master’s degrees from Columbia (MPH and MS) as well as an undergraduate degree in social welfare from SUNY Albany (BS). Her interdisciplinary background, which spans the biological, social, environmental, and public health sciences, gives her a unique perspective on food and nutrition. A recovering academic, she served on the faculties at Tufts (Research Scientist and Assistant Professor; 2001- 06) Boston University (Associate Professor; 2006-12), and Harvard (Instructor and Adjunct Associate Professor; 2011-19), where she won multiple research, teaching, and leadership awards. She’s currently writing her next book and a developing a docuseries on all the food things.

Learn more about P.K on her website pknewby.com.