Faculty Profile for Dr. Lesli M Biediger-Friedman

profile photo for Dr. Lesli M Biediger-Friedman
Dr. Lesli M Biediger-Friedman
Associate Professor — School of Family & Consumer Sciences
FCS 101
phone: (512) 245-7059
Scholarly/Creative Work
Awards
Grants
Service

Biography Section

Biography and Education

 Lesli Biediger-Friedman, PhD, MPH, RD aims to improve food and nutrition security through innovations that build solutions for all populations. Her research includes policy, systems, and environmental approaches to build capacity in public health nutrition, while modernizing programs, and improving resources to more nutritious food.

As the co-founder and director of Bobcat Bounty and the USDA, NIFA funded Food Security LEADers Learning Community, Dr. Biediger-Friedman aims to empower students at all levels to create innovative solutions to address current issues in community nutrition. Through the work of Nutrition LEADers, Dr. Biediger-Friedman and colleagues systematically work to modernize the professions of nutrition and dietetics.

In 2022, Dr. Biediger-Friedman became the principal investigator for the Nutrition for Underserved Elders Via Application (NUEVA) project, funded by the Administration for Community Living. NUEVA is powered by a large multidisciplinary team developing an app to recruit, assess, monitor, and deliver food to nutritionally at-risk older adults. She trains her research teams to use mixed methods designs and conduct community-based participatory research to investigate approaches to involve community members and stakeholders in all stages of research.

Teaching Interests

 Community Nutrition
Policy and Ethics in Nutrition
Wellness

Research Interests

 Public health nutrition
Community capacity building
Food and nutrition security
Maternal and Child Health/ Nutrition
Senior nutrition
The Built Environment
Nutrition + Technology

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Hwang, S. S., Johnson, C. M., Charles, J. S. J., & Biediger-Friedman, L. M. (2024). Food Delivery Apps and Their Potential to Address Food Insecurity in Older Adults: A Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21, 1197. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091197
  • Saha, S., Okafor, H. R., Biediger-Friedman, L. M., & Behnke, A. O. (2021). Association between diet and symptoms of anxiety and depression in college students: A systematic review. Journal of American College Health, (June, 2021), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1926267
  • Thornton, H. E. B., & Biediger-Friedman, L. M. (2018). Dietetic Internship as Learning Community: A Project-Based Approach to Community Nutrition Education in Dietetics. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 50(7, Supplement), S56. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2018.04.084
  • Markides, B. R., Biediger-Friedman, L. M., & Stubblefiend, E. (2023). Nutrition Questions of Texas WIC Chatbot Users: An exploratory content analysis.
  • Baez, K., Markides, B. R., & Biediger-Friedman, L. M. (n.d.). Chat with WIC: Nutrition information through a chatbot. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: Texas State Quarterly Team Award, The Office of The Provost. July 2018
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Service, College of Applied Arts. August 2024 - Present
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Research - Graduate Student - Kelci Baez, FCS in BLOOM. April 2024 - Present
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Service - Graduate Student - Dominique Alfaro, FCS in Bloom. April 2024 - Present
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Granduate Student Research - Kelci Baez, Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior. July 2023 - Present

Selected Grants

  • Crixell, Sylvia L (Co-Principal), Biediger-Friedman, Lesli M (Co-Principal). Chat with WIC: Innovating WIC Services with a Chatbot, Texas WIC: Texas Health and Human Services, Federal, $101000. (Funded: 2018). Grant.
  • Biediger-Friedman, Lesli M (Principal), Markides, Brittany Reese (Co-Principal). Chat with WIC - Years 3 - 5, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, State, $450000. (Submitted: August 2017, Funded: September 2018 - August 2023). Grant.
  • Crixell, Sylvia (Co-Principal), Biediger-Friedman, Lesli M (Co-Principal). Chat with WIC: Innovating WIC Services with a ChatBot, USDA - Texas WIC HHSC, Federal, $101000. (Submitted: August 2017, Funded: September 2018 - August 2021). Grant.
  • Thornton, Hannah (Co-Principal), Biediger-Friedman, Lesli (Co-Principal). Learning Communities Grant, College of Applied Arts, Texas State University, $6000.00. (Funded: August 31, 2018 - June 1, 2019). Grant.
  • He, Meizi, Parra-Medina, D, Biediger-Friedman, Lesli M (Principal), Yan, A. Building a healthy temple, San Antonio Life Sciences Institute, $100000. (Funded: 2010). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Member
A.G.E. Taskforce
2024-Present
Member
FCS Curriculum Committee
May 2023-Present
Graduate Advisor
Human Nutrition
January 2020-Present
Co-Chair
MS in Human Nutrition Admissions Committee
January 2020-Present
Other
Hays County Food Security Coalition
September 2019-Present