About
Dr. Michelle Parisi is an Assistant Professor in the Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences Department. She completed her BS from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois before moving to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where she worked as a Research Associate at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. She went on to complete her dietetic internship and MS in Clinical Nutrition at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Michelle moved to South Carolina in 2004 and she completed her PhD in Food Technology at Clemson University in 2012. She began working with Cooperative Extension in 2014 where she created the model used today for health programming through Clemson Extension. In 2020, she moved into the Food, Nutrition and Packaging Science Department as an Assistant Professor where she focuses on applied research related to the development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of health and nutrition programs and initiatives in rural communities. The data- driven evidence of effectiveness of these programs resulted in the addition of new and recurring state-appropriated funds in the amount of $2 million/year to support health and nutrition programs and initiatives through Extension in SC.
How their research is transforming health care
The development and growth of wholistic health programming through Extension in SC has transformed healthcare for SC community members, particularly in rural communities where health access disparities and barriers to social determinants of health are prevalent. External healthcare systems in SC now seek partnership with Clemson Extension to bridge the gap between healthcare services and community health education and support in rural and urban counties of SC.
Health research keywords
Faculty Scholar, community nutrition, health education programs, Cooperative Extension, diabetes, food insecurity, food access, food systems
