Military Deputy Chief, Military Nutrition Division
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
Dr. Alan Dawson is a Nutritional Scientist and Military Deputy Chief of the Military Nutrition Division at the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA. Dr. Dawson received his BS in Nutrition and Dietetics from Winthrop University. After which, he commissioned in the Army as a dietitian and earned an MS in Nutrition from Baylor University. After serving in a variety of roles as an Active-Duty dietitian, he was selected by Army Medicine to complete a PhD. He completed his PhD in Nutrition Science under Dr. Claire Berryman in the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology at Florida State University. His research interests include the effects of meal timing and distribution on metabolic health and manipulating macronutrient intake in Warfighters to sustain physical performance in extreme conditions. Dr. Dawson’s current work focuses on determining the scientific basis for military rations that deliver optimal energy to enable Warfighter readiness and performance during operational stress (i.e., exercise and diet-induced energy restriction, heavy physical activity, and sleep deprivation).