August 5, 2026 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu

For the third time in six years, the American Society for Nutrition Foundation has selected Edward Frongillo for one of its highest honors. In 2020, the health promotion, education, and behavior (HPEB) professor won the E.V. McCollum International Lectureships in Nutrition Award, and he received the Jean-Pierre Habicht Lifetime Achievements in Global Nutrition Research Award in 2022.

In July of this year, Frongillo was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition. As the Society’s highest honor, Fellowship recognizes individuals for their significant contributions and outstanding lifetime achievements in the field of nutrition.

"Dr. Frongillo is an internationally recognized leader in maternal and child nutrition, food security, and global public health," said Paul Coates, chair of the American Society of Nutrition Foundation, during the Class of 2026 Distinguished Fellows Induction. "His pioneering research has shaped global nutrition policy and practice, contributing to landmark initiatives that have advanced child growth standards, food security measurement, and evidence-based nutrition programs worldwide. Through decades of research, leadership, and service, Dr. Frongillo has helped improve the health and well-being of vulnerable populations across the globe."

Frongillo marks 20 years at the Arnold School this year, but his career spans more than four decades. After earning master’s (Human Nutrition and Human Development) and doctoral (Biometry) degrees from Cornell University, he remained at his alma mater for another 15 years – conducting nutrition research and leading the development and validation of a food insecurity scale that has since been adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture and utilized by researchers around the world.

He’s continued his work at the Arnold School – collaborating across disciplines to create tools and methods for assessing early childhood growth and development and measuring determinants and consequences of household and child food insecurity. His work also aims to understand how to advance policy and programs for improving nutrition and development in diverse settings with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.

Over the course of his career, Frongillo has published more than 550 peer-reviewed journal articles based on the research he led or contributed to across dozens of grant-funded projects. His reach extends even further through the continued efforts of the many students – now well over one hundred of them – he has mentored over the years.

At USC and the Arnold School, Frongillo has been the recipient of the Faculty Research Award and has held numerous service and leadership positions, including 10 years as HPEB department chair and current co-director of the school’s Global Health Initiative. Beyond campus, he has held countless roles at the American Nutrition Society and other national organizations as well as on task forces and committees for government agencies (e.g., USAID, USDA) and global entities, like WHO and UNICEF.

“Dr. Frongillo is not only a world-renowned nutrition researcher whose work has shaped policy and practice around the globe, but also a thoughtful and generous mentor who is deeply committed to the success of his students and colleagues,” says Brie Turner-McGrievy, chair for the HPEB department. “This recognition by the American Society for Nutrition Foundation is a well-deserved honor that reflects both the tremendous impact of his scholarship and the lasting influence he has had on so many people throughout his career.”

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