Current AppointmentS

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY :: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Research Scientist — July 2011

University of California, Davis, CA :: Department of Pediatrics, Visiting Clinical Faculty — 2008-present

Previous appointments

University of California, San Francisco :: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Reproductive Infectious Diseases Fellow — 2010-2011

University of California, Berkeley, CA :: School of Public Health, Assistant Researcher — 2008

Education

Cornell University :: Ithaca, NY — 2003-2008

PhD in International Nutrition. Division of Nutritional Sciences. Chair: Gretel Pelto, Professor of Nutritional Anthropology.

University of Amsterdam :: Amsterdam, the Netherlands — 2001-2002

MA in Medical Anthropology. Highest Honors. Advisor: Sjaak van der Geest.

University of Michigan :: Ann Arbor, MI — 1995-1999

BA in Anthropology. High Honors.  Secondary Level Teaching Certificate.

Taasisi Institute of Kiswahili and Foreign Languages :: Zanzibar, Tanzania — 2000

Introduction, Intermediate, and Advanced Swahili Courses.

Katholieke Universiteit of Leuven :: Leuven, Belgium — 1996-1997

Junior Year Abroad Program through the University of Pennsylvania.

United World College of the Atlantic :: Wales, UK — 1993-1995

International Baccalaureate.

selected Grants and Fellowships

Campbell Foundation :: Clinical study of Flash heating breastmilk to decrease morbidity, improve growth, and reduce HIV transmission in HIV-exposed infants — 2010-2011 (Co-PI)

National Institutes of Health :: R34 Planning grant to fund the preparation of a large multi-disciplinary study of Flash-heating of breastmilk by HIV+ women to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV — 2010-2011 (Co-I)

Thrasher Research Fund :: Early Career Award — 2009-2010 (PI)

American Psychological Association :: HIV Cybermentor Travel and Research Award — 2009-2011

Population Center Research Award :: UC Berkeley — 2009 (Co-PI)

Wenner Gren Foundation :: Hunt Postdoctoral Fellowship — 2009 (PI)

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation :: Health Disparities Small Grant — 2008

University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States (UCMEXUS) :: Pilot grant — 2008 (Co-PI)

University of California, Berkeley :: Professional Development Grant — 2008

National Institutes of Health :: Training Grant Trainee :: Cornell University — 2005-2007

Park Avenue Financial :: “Investing in Others” Scholarship :: — 2006

Fulbright Scholarship :: Tanzania — 2005-2006 (Declined, duplicate funding)

Division of Nutritional Sciences Small Grant :: Cornell University — 2004, 2005, 2007

Mario Einaudi International Research Travel Grant :: Cornell University — 2004, 2005

Flora Rose Fellowship :: Cornell University — 2004

Sigma Xi Research Grant :: Cornell University — 2004

National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Honorable Mention :: Cornell University— 2004

Rotary Cultural Ambassador Scholarship :: Taasisi Institute of Swahili, Zanzibar, Tanzania — 2000

Selected Awards

Society for Medical Anthropology, Dissertation Award — 2009

In recognition of the outstanding dissertation in the field of medical anthropology.

International Congress of Nutrition, Distinguished Poster — 2009

Young, S.L., Chantry, C., Ngonyani, M., Israel-Ballard, K., Ash, D., Nyambo, M. Flash-heating breastmilk is feasible in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. 

Allan Rosenfield Scholar & New Investigator in Global Health :: Global Health Council — 2009

For outstanding research on reproductive and family health.

Sugar Award:: One Laptop Per Child — 2007

For the development of the best educational children’s software.

Rudolf Virchow Award :: Honorable Mention : American Anthropological Association — 2003

Presented by the Society for Medical Anthropology for advancing critical perspectives in medical anthropology.

Christine Wilson Award :: American Anthropological Association — 2002

Presented by the Council on Nutritional Anthropology.

Student-Intern Teacher of the Year Honorable Mention :: State of Michigan — 1999

For the demonstration of outstanding potential as an educator.

Training

American Psychological Association’s Cyber Mentor Program for HIV research, Committee on Psychology and AIDS — Fall 2009-Fall 2011

Dannon Nutrition Leadership Institute — Spring 2009

New Investigator in Global Health Program, Global Health Council — Spring 2009

Cells to Society Biomarker Institute, Northwestern University — Spring 2008

Teaching-Related Experience

Nutrition in Developing Countries PH 298.41:: Lecturer : UC Berkeley School of Public Health— Spring 2008

Nutritional Problems of Developing Nations NS 306 :: Teaching Assistant : Cornell University— Spring 2004

English Literature, Special Ed :: Substitute Teacher : Port Huron School District, Michigan— Spring 2000

Secondary Level Teaching Certificate:: University of Michigan :: Ann Arbor, Michigan — 1999

Cultural Anthropology :: Student Teacher : Plymouth Canton High School, Michigan— Spring 1999

AP English :: Student Teacher : Cass Technical High School, Detroit, Michigan— Fall 1998

Students advised

Graduate-level:: Sarah Beckham, Janice Meerman, Chris Golden

Undergraduate-level:: Alexis Steinmetz, Janice Lin, Damarys Hernandez, Chaele Arkfeld, Keith Ryan

Field research

PROMOTE study (Prevention of Malaria and HIV disease in Tororo) :: Tororo, Uganda :: University of California, San Francisco and Makerere University — 1/11-present

Assessing and intervening to improve nutritional and obstetric outcomes among a cohort of HIV+ women receiving anti-retroviral therapy and their HIV-exposed infants.

Reaching the Hard to Reach: Documenting World Vision Haiti Mobile Clinic Best Practices :: Haiti :: Cornell University and World Vision — 3/11-present

Determining best practices for reducing maternal anemia among rural women via mobile clinic services.

Antojitos study, the relationship between pregnancy, pica, iron status, and cognitive function :: Salinas, California  — 6/08-present

Primary investigator of a study of nutritional behaviors and beliefs, and their associations with iron status and cognitive function among pregnant Hispanic women.

Feasibility and pilot efficacy of Flash heated breastmilk to reduce pediatric HIV :: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — 6/08-present

Scientific coordinator of a multi-disciplinary study of the effects of home-based education on exclusive breastfeeding and the uptake and consequences of rapid heating of breastmilk among HIV+ women in urban Tanzania.

Maternal anemia care, program evaluation :: Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania : Cornell University /Zanzibar Ministry of Health— 6/06-8/06

Conducted community surveys, focus group discussions and interviews with traditional and biomedical health care workers, private medicine retailers and pregnant women to understand how use of anemia medicine can be improved.

Quantitative and qualitative study of non-food cravings, primary investigator :: Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania : Cornell University— 5/04-6/04, 6/06-8/06

Secured funding, hired, and trained Zanzibari fieldworkers to collect epidemiological data about consumption of non-food substances (pica) in 700 adults as part of a larger trial on the prevention of severe anemia (PI Rebecca Stoltzfus). Conducted in-depth interviews about pica (the cravings for and consumption of non-food substances) with community members and health care workers. Collected samples of pica substances for biochemical analysis.

“Adapting EFNEP to the changing needs of food-assistance eligible families in the era of welfare reform” :: Qualitative Researcher : Cornell University — 2003-2004

Conducted interviews and focus group discussions with nutritional education program staff as part of a USDA-funded multi-state research project to understand the effects of welfare reform on on nutritional status and well-being.

Hospital Renovation, project manager :: Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania — 2001, 2003, 2005.

Identified areas of need, raised all funds, and oversaw renovations of Mental Hospital, Maternity Ward and Children’s Ward.

Perceptions of anemia during pregnancy :: Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania : University of Amsterdam — 5/02-7/02

Qualitative data was collected about the perceived causes, cures, and appropriateness of UNDP-supplied ferrous sulfate and traditional medicines for the treatment of anemia during pregnancy. Analyzed data to make suggestions about how traditional and biomedical treatments can be linked.

“Down for the count in the Bijlmer” :: Interviewer : University of Amsterdam — 2002

Censused and interviewed homeless people about drug use, health care, and general well-being in low-income neighborhoods in Amsterdam.

Polygyny and child mortality :: Mali, West Africa/University of Michigan —1998.

Field manager of longitudinal biological anthropological study comparing infant mortality by family structure. Responsibilities included fieldworker hiring, anthropometry of 1000 0-5 year old children, household surveys, censusing villages, house construction,  and data organization.

RESEARCH POSITIONS & CONSULTANCIES

Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC)— 2009

Consulting on reports from Research and Evaluation Division of BRAC.

Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), Washington DC — 2009

Advised on assessment of nutritional needs among HIV-positive pregnant and lactating Rwandan women.

Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), Cuernavaca, Mexico — 2007

Evaluation of quantitative and qualitative data on the acceptability of micronutrient tablets, sprinkles and a fortified food to pregnant and lactating Oportunidades recipients.

University of Amsterdam — 2001-2006

Responsible for translation and text editing of dissertations, articles, and grant proposals. Converted four PhD manuscripts into books.

Kelsey Museum of Archaeology : University of Michigan— 1997-1998

Assisted with reconstruction of an ancient Greek mosaic mural, sorted and classified Etruscan coins.

Royal Museum of Central Africa : Tervuren, Belgium — 1997

Assisted with “Zimbabwe: Legacies of Stone Past and Present: Volume I and II”.

Languages

English : Dutch : French : Swahili

Publications

PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES

1. 1.Weiser, S.D., Young, S.L., Cohen, C.R., Tsai, A.C., Tien, P.C., Hatcher, A.M., Frongillo, E.A., Bangsberg, D.R. (accepted) Conceptual framework for understanding the bidirectional links between food insecurity and HIV/AIDS. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
   

2. 2.Young, S.L., Mbuya, M.M., Chantry, C.J., Geubbels, E., Israel-Ballard, K., Cohan, D. Latham, M. (2011) Current knowledge and future research on infant feeding in the context of HIV: basic, clinical, behavioral and programmatic perspectives. Advances in Nutrition 2:225-243.
   

3. 3.Young, S.L., Sherman, P.W., Lucks, J, Pelto, G. (2011) Why do people eat earth? A test of alternative hypotheses. Quarterly Review of Biology 86(2):97-120.
   

4. 4.Young, S.L. (2010) Pica in Pregnancy: New Ideas About An Old Condition. Annual Review of Nutrition 30: 403-422.
   

5. 5.Young, S.L., Israel-Ballard, K., Dantzer, E., Nyambo, M., Ash, D., Chantry, C.J. (2010) Infant feeding practices among HIV-positive women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania indicate a need for more intensive infant feeding counseling. Public Health Nutrition 29:1-7.
   

6. 6.Young, S.L., Khalfan, S., Farag, T., Kavle, J., Rasmussen, K., Pelto, G., Ali, S. M., Hamadi, B.,  Tielsch, J., Stoltzfus, R. (2010). Pica is associated with anemia and gastrointestinal distress among pregnant Zanzibari women. American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 83(1):144-151.
   

7. 7.Young, S.L., Hernandez Cordero, S., Blanco, I., Pelto, G. H., & Neufeld, L. M. (2010). Organoleptic properties, ease of use, and perceived health effects are determinants of acceptability of micronutrient supplements among poor Mexican women. Journal of Nutrition 140 (3):605-611. *selected by editor as the article of interest for March 2010
   

8. 8.Young, S.L., Wilson, M.J., Hillier, S., Delbos, E. (2010). Differences and commonalities in physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of Zanzibari geophagic soils. Journal of Chemical Ecology 36(1): 129-140. 
   

9. 9.Young, S.L., Beckham, S, and Ali, S. M. (2009). The potential role of private pharmacies in maternal iron supplementation in rural Tanzania Food & Nutrition Bulletin 30(1):16-23.
   

10. 10.Young, S.L., Wilson, M. J., Hillier, S., & Miller, D. D. (2008). Toward a comprehensive approach to the collection and analysis of pica substances, with emphasis on geophagic materials. PLoS One. 3(9): e3147.
    

11. 11.Young, S. L., D. Goodman, T. H. Farag, S. M. Ali, M. R. Khatib, S. S. Khalfan, J. M. Tielsch, and R. J. Stoltzfus (2007). Geophagia is not associated with Trichuris or hookworm transmission in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 101(8): 766-72
    

12. 12.Young, S. L., and S. M. Ali. (2005). Linking traditional treatments of material anemia to iron supplement use: an ethnographic case study from Pemba Island, Zanzibar. Maternal and Child Nutrition. 1(1): 51-58.
    

13. 13.Young, S. L.(2004). On the role of the individual in the MEAH framework. Medische Antropologie. 16 (2): 280-1.
    

14. 14.Young, S. L. (2004). “Listen, Without Blood There is No Life”: An ethnography of anemia during pregnancy. Nutritional Anthropology. 26 (1-2) 10-19.
    

15. 15.Young, S. L. (2002). Critical Ecological Medical Anthropology: A harmonious union of discordant bodies? The selection and application of theory to anemia during pregnancy on Zanzibar. Medische Anthropologie. 14 (2) 321-252.
    

PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES UNDER REVIEW OR IN PREPARATION

16. 16.Young, S., Murray, Ke, Mwesigwa, J., Natureeba, P., Osterbauer, B., Achan, J., Arinaitwe, E., Clark, T., Ades, V., Charlebois, E., Ruel, T., Kamya, M., Havlir, D., Cohan, D. (in review) Maternal nutritional status predicts adverse obstetric & fetal outcomes among HIV-infected rural Ugandan women receiving combination ART
    

17. 17.Young, S.L. and Israel-Ballard, K. (2011) Feeding Options for Infants with HIV-positive Mothers. (Commissioned commentary for the WHO Electronic Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions ELENA)
    

18. 18. Nagata, J., Magarende, R, Young, S.L., Weiser, S.D., Cohen, C.R. (in review) Social determinants, lived experiences, and consequences of household food insecurity among persons living with HIV/AIDS in Suba District, Kenya
    

19. 19.Steinmetz, A.R., Abrams, E.T., Young, S.L. (in preparation) Patterns of gustatory and olfactory aversions and nausea and vomiting during pregnancy on Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania
    

20. 20.Chantry C.J., Young S., Israel-Ballard K., Nyambo M. et al. (in preparation) Feasibility of Flash-heating breastmilk to reduce maternal to child transmission of HIV.
    

21. 21.Leshabari, S., Young, S. L., Arkfeld, C., Singler, J., Chantry, C.J. et al. (in preparation) Barriers to and promoters of exclusive breastfeeding among HIV+ and HIV- women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
    

22. 22.Young, S. L., Leshabari, S., Arkfeld, C., Singler, J., Chantry, C.J. et al. (in preparation) Barriers to and promoters of home-based breastmilk pasteurization: an ethnographic investigation
    

23. 23.Lin, J., Temple, L. Young, S., et al. (in preparation) Pica is prevalent in Mexican and Mex Origin Women
    

24. 24.Young, S.L.,  Neufeld, L. M. & Fernald, L.H. (in preparation). Iron deficiency and cognition in adults: an accumulating risk approach.
    

BOOK

25. 25.Young, S.L. (2011) “Craving earth: Understanding pica” Columbia University Press.
    

BOOK CHAPTERS

26. 26.Young, S. L. and G. H. Pelto. (2011). “Core Concepts in Nutritional Anthropology.” In Nutritional Health: Strategies for Disease Prevention. T Wilson and N. Temple, eds. 3rd ed., Humana Press. in press.
    

27. 27.Young S.L. (2007). “Evidence for the Consumption of the Inedible: Who, what, when, where, and why.” In Consuming the Inedible: Cross-disciplinary approaches. J. MacClancy, J. Henry and H. MacBeth, eds. Berghahn Press. pp. 17-30.
    

28. 28.Young, S. L. (2007). “A Vile Habit? The Potential Biological Consequences of Geophagia, with special attention to iron.” In Consuming the Inedible: Cross-disciplinary approaches. J. MacClancy, J. Henry and H. MacBeth, eds. Berghahn Press. pp. 67-79.
    

29. 29.Young, S. L. and G. H. Pelto. (2005). “Core Concepts in Nutritional Anthropology.” In Nutritional Health: Strategies for Disease Prevention. T Wilson and N. Temple, eds. 2nd ed., Humana Press. pp. 425-437.
    

THESES

30. 30.Young, S.L. (2008). A biocultural study of the relationship between pica and anemia. PhD Dissertation in Nutritional Sciences. Cornell University.
    

31. 31.Young, S. L. (2002). “Listen, Without Blood There is No Life”: An ethnography of anemia during pregnancy in Pemba, Zanzibar. MA Thesis in Medical Anthropology. University of Amsterdam.
    

32. 32.Young S. L. (1999). Religious Conversion by Dogon Women: A strategy for reproductive success? BA Honors Thesis. University of Michigan.
    

conference posterS & Presentations

33. 33.Chantry C.J., Young S., Ngonyani M., Israel-Ballard K., Ash D., Nyambo M. Feasibility of Flash-heating breastmilk to reduce maternal to child transmission of HIV. American Public Health Association. Denver, CO. November, 2010.
    

34. 34.Young, S., Steinmetz, A., Abrams, E.T.  Are food aversions protective adaptations to pregnancy? American Anthropological Association. Philadelphia, PA. December 2009. (Co-chair of panel “Cravings and Aversions” with Crystal Patil)
    

35. 35.Young, S.L., Chantry, C., Ngonyani, M., Israel-Ballard, K., Ash, D., Nyambo, M. Flash-heating breastmilk is feasible in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. International Congress of Nutrition. Bangkok, Thailand. October, 2009. (Selected as Distinguished Poster.)
    

36. 36.Nyambo, M., Ash, D., Ngonyani, M., Young, S.L., Israel-Ballard, K., Chantry, C. Feasibility of Reducing MTCT-HIV by Flash-heating breast milk. Medical Women’s International Association. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. August, 2009.
    

37. 37.Young, S., Israel-Ballard, K., Leshabari, S., Maternowska, C., Turuka, E., Mallya, D., Maisho, C., Ash, D., Nyambo, M., Chantry, C. Flash-heating Breastmilk To Reduce MTCT-HIV: Successes And Challenges. Global Health Council. Washington DC, May 2009. (Selected as part of the New Investigator in Global Health Program)
    

38. 38.Chantry C.J., Young S., Ngonyani M., Israel-Ballard K., Ash D., Nyambo M., 2009. Feasibility of Flash-heating breastmilk to reduce maternal to child transmission of HIV. Pediatric Academic Societies. Baltimore, MD May 2009.
    

39. 39.Young, S.L., Chantry, C., Ngonyani, M., Israel-Ballard, K., Ash, D., Nyambo, M. Flash-heating breastmilk is feasible in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. Experimental Biology. New Orleans, Louisiana, April 2009.
    

40. 40.Young, S.L., Ali S. M., Wilson, M.J., Hillier, S., Rasmussen, K.M., Stoltzfus, R.J. Pica is associated with pregnancy, anemia and gastrointestinal distress among Zanzibari women. Bloemfontein, South Africa, October 2008.
    

41. 41.Wilson, M. J., Hillier, S., Young, S.L. Clay Mineralogy of Geophagic Materials from Tanzania and Other Countries. 4th Mid-European Clay Conference, Zakopane, Poland, September 2008.
    

42. 42.Young, S.L., Hernandez Cordero, S., Branco Garcia, I., Bonvecchio Arenas, A., & Neufeld, L. M. Acceptability of three nutritional supplements among pregnany and lactating women in Mexico. Experimental Biology, San Diego, CA, April 2008
    

43. 43.Young, S. L., Goodman, D., Farag, T. H., Ali, S. M., Khatib, M. R., Khalfan, S. S. Tielsch, J.M., Stoltzfus, R.J. Geophagia is not associated with Trichuris or hookworm transmission in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Experimental Biology, Washington DC, April 2007.
    

44. 44.Young, S.L., J.B. Lucks, G.H. Pelto. Managing 1,472 articles on pica. Strategies for hypothesis testing with a comprehensive literature review. Society for Anthropological Sciences. Savannah, Georgia. February 2006.
    

45. 45.Young, S.L. Safura [anemia], the disease of earth-eating? An investigation of the relationship of iron status to pica in Zanzibar. International Commission on the Anthropology of Food. Oxford, England. June 2005.
    

46. 46.Young, S. L. Mapping the Cultural and Physiological Components of Anemia on Pemba Island, Zanzibar.  American Anthropological Association, Nutritional Anthropology section. Chicago, IL, November 2003.
    

47. 47.Young, S. L. Religious Conversion by Dogon Women: A Tactic of the Weak? Conference of the Netherlands African Studies Association. Leiden, the Netherlands, September 2003.
    

48. 48.Young, S. L. Straight Edge: Youth rebellion or voice of social conscience? American Midwest Sociological Society. Chicago, IL, April 2000. (Invited).
    

49. 49.Young, S. L. Dogon Women’s Religious Conversion: A Strategy for improved reproductive success? American Anthropological Association, Anthropology of Religion. Philadelphia, PA, April 1999.
    

Invited lectures

University of California, Berkeley. Global Health. 2007, 2008, 2009*, 2010. *Voted by class as “favorite lecture of the semester”.

Touro University, Mare Island, California. 2010

University of California, Davis Medical Center. Grand Rounds: Pediatrics. 2008.

University of California, San Francisco. Local health meets global health group. 2008.

University of Illinois, at Chicago. Department of Anthropology. 2007.

Professional Service

Ad hoc reviewer :: AIDS, African Journal of Biotechnology, American Journal of Human Biology, Epidemiology and Infection, Journal of Nutrition, Maternal and Child Nutrition, Medical Anthropology, Medische Antropologie, Public Health Nutrition, Social Science & Medicine, South Africa’s National Research Foundation, Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, UCSF’s Center of Excellence in Women’s Health.

Society for the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition ::  Executive Committee Member : 2010 National Meeting Program Chair — 2010-2012

Dannon Nutrition Leadership Institute ::  Executive Committee Member : Treasurer

American Society for Nutrition :: Student Interest Group Executive Committee Member : Graduate and Professional Education Executive Committee Member— 2006-2008

One Laptop Per Child :: Co-developer of children’s math game Kuku Anakula (http//wiki.laptop.org/go/Kuku)— 2007

Nutrition Graduate Student Organization :: Secretary, Social Director, Faculty Liaison, Founder and member of the Committee on Professional Development : Cornell University— 2003-2007

Academic Integrity Hearing Board :: Graduate Representative : Cornell University— 2004

Professional memberships

American Anthropological Association, American Society for Nutrition, San Francisco Beekeepers’ Association, Alameda County Beekeepers’ Association