Gemma Bastian
Assistant Professor, Extension Nutrition and Health Specialist
Biography
Gemma Bastian is an assistant professor in the School of Health and Human Sciences and SDSU's Extension nutrition and health specialist. Dr. Bastian's research and extension work aims to better understand how food insecurity presents in different populations and improve the nutritional health and well-being of those facing or at risk of food insecurity. Dr. Bastian works with a variety of audiences, including high schoolers in Title I schools, older adults at risk of diet-related chronic disease, wellness coalitions in South Dakota Native communities, and young adults on the autism spectrum. She is the lead author of the "Rev It Up!" high school nutrition and physical activity curriculum and is the director of the Dakota Food Rx produce prescription program. Moreover, she is the nutrition discipline head at the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Clinic, part of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine's Center for Disabilities. Dr. Bastian is a graduate faculty member for the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in nutrition and exercise science.
Education
- B.S. in nutritional sciences | Cornell University | 2016
- Ph.D. in nutritional sciences | Rutgers University | 2022
Dr. Bastian is also a registered dietitian nutritionist and a South Dakota licensed nutritionist.
Academic and Professional Experience
Committees and Professional Memberships
Professional Memberships:
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- American Evaluation Association
- American Society for Nutrition
- International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
- Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior
Extension Responsibilities
Lead signature programs and key collaborative initiatives to improve the nutritional health and well-being of South Dakotans, including Rev It Up!, Dakota Food Rx, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention High Obesity Program and the South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative.
Research and Scholarly Work
Areas of Research
- Nutrition education
- Food security
- Public health nutrition
- Evaluation and implementation sciences
- Autism spectrum
Awards and Honors
- Emerging Dietetic Leader (South Dakota), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2025
- Honors Community Builder Award, SDSU Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, 2024
- Early Career Professional Abstract Award, Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior Higher Education Division, 2023
- Excellence in Outreach and Service Award, Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, 2023
- Excellence in Extension Award for a Team (accepted on behalf of the NC3169 multistate research group), USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture/Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, 2022
Grants
Dr. Bastian has helped secure over $2.7 million in research and Extension funding for SDSU, including funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Dakota Community Foundation, Frozen Food Foundation and the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact (formerly the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition).
Publications
- Bastian G.E., Fitzgerald N., Baker S.S. and Palmer-Keenan D.M. (2025) Validity and Reliability Assessment of a Food and Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents From Low-Income Communities. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 57(2):120-131. DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2024.10.009
- Bastian G.E., Russell J.K., Roe A.J. and Rani R. (2025) Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Purchasing Frozen Fruits, Vegetables, and Meals in a Nationally Representative Sample of United States Households. Current Developments in Nutrition. 9(1):104528. DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104528
- Bastian G.E. (2024) Exploring Sociodemographic and Chronic Disease Factors Associated with Chronic, Seasonal, Intramonthly and Intermittent Presentations of Food Security Instability. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 124(6):686-699. DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.12.002
- Quick V., Errickson L.B., Bastian G.E., Chang G., Davis S., Capece A. and Schoolman E.D. (2022) Preserving farm freshness: Consumer preferences for local value-added products at urban farmers markets. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems and Community Development. 11(2):1-22. DOI: 10.5304/jafscd.2022.112.004
- Bastian G.E., Buro D. and Palmer-Keenan D.M. (2021) Recommendations for Integrating Evidence-Based, Sustainable Diet Information into Nutrition Education. Nutrients. 13(11):4170. DOI: 10.3390/nu13114170
Associated Areas
