Hilary Bethancourt earned a PhD in biological anthropology and a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology from the University of Washington in Seattle. Her doctoral research focused on exploring conflicting perspectives on the role of meat and animal products in human health and disease processes. She currently works as a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Biobehavioral Health at Pennsylvania State University, where she is conducting research on nutrition transitions, hydration, water insecurity, stress, and health among populations in Bolivia, Kenya, and the United States.

More broadly, Hilary’s research interests are tied to the goal of better understanding not only how diet and nutrition shape health but also how other physiological, lifestyle, and environmental factors might contribute to different individuals or populations having distinct health responses to a given food or diet.
Br>Apart from her life as a researcher, Hilary is a vegetable- and chocolate-loving omnivore with a passion for the outdoors and an enthusiasm for hiking, biking, and aerial dance. She has no conflicts of interest to disclose at this time.