The Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems (ANFS) at the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture brings together a strong and growing group of faculty whose research is helping build a more sustainable food system.
Our graduate programs prepare students for careers in nutrition- and agriculture-related fields, including employment in the public or private sectors in research, teaching or professional specialization. Graduates of our thesis-based programs work directly in or support agricultural enterprises with research and outreach, work with communities struggling with food access, and conduct research with state, federal and international agriculture organizations.
Graduate Degree Programs
We offer two professional M.S. programs in nutrition: 1) a combined M.S. with dietetic internship, and 2) an intensive two semester M.S. in nutrition.
- Nutrition and Dietetics M.S.
- Nutrition M.S. (including the accelerated B.S./M.S. pathway for current UNH students)
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We also offer four thesis-based graduate degree programs in nutrition and agricultural sciences:
UNH is among the nation’s highest-performing research universities, having earned a Carnegie Classification R1. Federal and state funding supports research on diverse aspects of sustainable plant and animal agriculture, human nutrition, and food systems.
Student researchers have the opportunity to partner with state and regional stakeholders and collaborate with leading researchers worldwide. As a graduate student at UNH, you’ll have the opportunity to work in several top-notch teaching and research facilities, including the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, one of the university’s largest research organizations.
Prospective Students
A limited number of graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis for highly qualified applicants pursuing one of our thesis-based graduate degree programs. Applicants with strong demonstrated intellectual merit and research experience are encouraged to apply. Because funding is limited and competitive, we encourage you to apply early. We start to make funding decisions for the following academic year on January 15th.
We offer both teaching and research assistantships for students enrolled in the MS and PhD programs. Assistantships at UNH involve 20 hours per week of teaching or research effort during the academic year; students receive a tuition-waiver, a stipend, and the university’s student health plan. More information related to graduate assistantships at UNH can be found here.
Yes. Acceptance into the program requires that a faculty member has agreed to serve as your advisor. It is strongly encouraged that you reach out directly to potential faculty advisors well in advance of applying. The conversations between prospective students and faculty during the application process help the student understand the expectations and for both parties to decide if the prospective student would be a good fit for the lab group.
After finding faculty whose research interests overlap with yours, send them a brief introductory email summarizing your background, your research interests, and why you might be a good fit in their lab. It is good practice to attach your CV or resume to this email. Keep in mind not all faculty recruit new students each year, and there are often many applicants for each lab opening.
Research Areas
Specific areas of research where we are recruiting students for graduate study are listed below. You can see a complete list of faculty that advise for each program here:
Research in the Dao Lab focuses on human nutrition, obesity and its comorbidities, and the gut microbiota. We use a multi-disciplinary approach to identify biological and psychosocial targets for tailored lifestyle interventions for weight management and healthy eating. A primary focus is on populations that are disproportionately impacted by the obesity epidemic. There are diverse research opportunities for prospective students, ranging from data analysis of the gut microbiome in relation to dietary intake and clinical outcomes, to community-based research to identify lifestyle and psychosocial factors associated with overweight.
Contact: Dr. Carlota Dao
Research in the Erickson laboratory pertains to optimizing production of colostrum through manipulating dairy cow nutrition and colostrum’s subsequent utilization by the calf. The effects of water-soluble vitamin supplementation in dairy cow diets on colostrum production and on ruminal development in the calf is currently being studied. We are also studying the unique characteristics of the Jersey cow in her ability to produce colostrum. Other research has focused on alternative feeds for growing heifers along with feed additives and their effects on ruminal development and protozoal disease incidence. We continue to study alternative ingredients in cow diets to help dairy producers reduce their costs of feeding. If this research interests you, consider reaching out to Dr. Pete Erickson.
The flavorful and nutrition-packed kiwiberry is an emerging specialty crop in the northeast and globally, and UNH has the only research and breeding program in the country dedicated to its systematic improvement. Trait development, genetics, horticulture, post-harvest physiology, nutrition and marketing are among the research areas, and as an ANFS graduate student, you can play an important role in our progress. If applied research on a new specialty crop for our region’s producers and consumers appeals to you, check out the research program of Dr. Iago Hale and consider applying to our M.S. program in Agricultural Sciences.
Contact: Dr. Iago Hale
The UNH cucurbit breeding program conducts breeding efforts primarily in squash, pumpkins, and melons. The research program seeks to understand the genetics of important stakeholder traits such as marketable yield, disease resistance, nutritional quality, and appearance. In order to meet breeding and research objectives, we employ traditional breeding and genetics methods alongside modern statistical, computation, and genomics tools. Plant breeding is a broad, interdisciplinary endeavor. As such, students in the program will gain expertise in a wide variety of areas tailored to their research interests.
Contact: Dr. Christopher Hernandez
Program website: Cucurbit Breeding & Genetics at University of New Hampshire
Research in the Mena Lab focuses on child nutrition and promoting healthy lifestyle habits at home and in early care and education (ECE) settings. A primary focus is on children under the age of 6 and families disproportionately impacted by obesity and food insecurity (risk). We use a socioecological approach to identify targeted approaches for enhancing home-ECE environments to support the development of healthy eating habits in early childhood. There are a variety of research opportunities for prospective students, ranging from data analysis of diet quality in relation to home-ECE concordance of food and nutrition environments and health outcomes, to community-based research to identify home-ECE factors associated with diet quality and chronic disease risk in pediatric populations.
Contact: Dr. Noereem Mena
Dr. Rahman's EAE Lab works on climate-smart technological implications for semi-controlled and controlled environment agriculture. Being a multi-disciplinary lab, EAE lab tries to overcome each specific challenge of controlled environment agriculture (CEA), from the substrate to the roof cover and anything in between, through sustainable technologies. Their research areas include but are not limited to sustainable HVAC technology development, substrate development, energy, and water optimizations for CEA. EAE lab always welcomes novel ideas and enthusiasm for research toward CEA.
Contact: Dr. Md Sazan Rahman
Research in the Seely lab is focused on the integration of dairy cow biology and precision livestock technologies. With a specific emphasis on epidemiological methods, our research aims to optimize and validate technologies to improve dairy cattle health, well-being, and productivity. Areas of research include the exploration of rumination and activity collars to detect early lactation disease as well as novel sensor development to optimize calf health.
Contact: Dr. Claira Seely
The Sideman Lab takes an integrated approach to research and extension activities that focus on high-value specialty crop production and methods of extending the growing season for farmers in New England and beyond. We are particularly interested in researching strategies to minimize production costs and ecological impacts, while producing economically viable yields of high-quality crops. Recent projects have focused on identifying new crops, cultivars and production practices, including season extension technologies, that expand opportunities for vegetable and berry production in northern New England. We encourage motivated graduate and undergraduate students to consider joining our team.
Contact: Dr. Becky Sideman
Tomato is one of the most economically important horticultural crops, contributing significantly to both fresh and processed markets. However, tomatoes have a short shelf life, making them vulnerable to postharvest losses throughout the food supply chain. Softening, a ripening-associated process, plays a key role in determining postharvest quality, including shelf life and disease resistance. Due to its well-studied genetics, abundant resources, short life cycle, and efficient transformation system, tomato serves as an ideal model for studying fruit softening in climacteric fruits. Insights from tomato research are also applicable to other fleshy fruits. Controlling softening while preserving essential quality traits like flavor is crucial for fruit quality and the food supply chain. The lab integrates molecular genetics, bioinformatics, and genomics to tackle key unresolved questions in the field. Students in the program will develop a strong foundation and gain practical experience across a variety of discipline. The lab is seeking highly motivated graduate and undergraduate students to join our research team.
Contact: Dr. Duoduo Wang
Research in the Yuan Lab focuses on molecular plant pathogen and plant-microbe interactions, with an emphasis on bacterial and fungal diseases affecting fruit and specialty crops. Our work integrates field surveys, laboratory experiments, and molecular approaches to understand how pathogens infect plants, how host tissues respond, and how diseases spread in orchard and vineyard systems. Current projects include studies on fire blight of apple and pear, emerging trunk diseases of cold-climate grapevines, and biological control strategies for sustainable disease management. The long-term goal of the lab is to develop practical, science-based solutions that improve crop health, productivity, and resilience in northern agricultural systems.
Contact: Xiaochen Yuan
