Punam Ohri-Vachaspati

Dr. Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, PhD, RD, is an Associate Professor of Nutrition at Arizona State University's School of Nutrition and Health Promotion. Her research focuses on public health nutrition, particularly the social-ecological determinants of health and strategies to reduce health disparities. She studies food environments in communities, schools, and child care centers, analyzing how federal, state, and local policies influence these environments and impact obesity prevention efforts. Dr. Ohri-Vachaspati’s work is supported by major organizations such as the NIH, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, USDA, and CDC, and she collaborates with researchers at institutions including Rutgers University, University of Illinois, and Case Western Reserve University. She teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses on obesity prevention and research methods. Dr. Ohri-Vachaspati holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Delhi, a master’s and doctorate from Tufts University in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition, and completed her dietetic internship at Case Western Reserve University. Before joining ASU, she held positions at Ohio State University, Rutgers University, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her research interests include public health nutrition, the role of environments and policies in shaping health outcomes, food access among disadvantaged populations, and the assessment of nutrition interventions and federal assistance programs.