Mary Murimi PhD, RD, LDN

Dr. Mary Murimi is a professor of Nutrition in the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech. Dr. Murimi's research interests include understanding the effects of the community environment on the nutrition status of the residents and identifying coping strategies for food insecurity and factors that influence dietary behavior, especially among low-income populations. Dr. Murimi applies the ecological approach and trains the trainer model in her community-based participatory research. Dr. Murimi has conducted community-wide outreach projects aimed at behavior modification in the prevention of obesity and related chronic diseases among rural residents of Northern, Louisiana.

Internationally, Dr, Murimi's research has evolved to food insecurity and the study of the usage of native vegetables to combat food insecurity is of major interest to where her research is going. Dr. Murimi has conducted research on factors that contribute to stunting among 0-5 years old in Bangladesh and Ethiopia Dr. Murimi has collaborative relationships with institutions in both Ethiopia and Kenya. In Ethiopia, Dr. Murimi has a USAID-funded project on linking livestock to human nutrition. In addition, Dr. Murimi has organized two international conferences on Health disparity in collaboration with Jijiga University.

In Malawi, Dr. Murimi looked at the effect of using goat meat in a food insecure community. Dr. Murimi is committed to the concept of mentoring the next generation and encouraging women in leadership roles. She has mentored women at Jijiga University in conducting research and publication. Dr. Murimi has been recognized by her peers for her scholarly achievements, as a distinguished alumnus of her graduate school, and by the Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior for the mid-career achievement award. Dr. Murimi has served her profession as the President of the Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior, and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior and she is currently the Chancellor of Daystar University in Kenya Africa.