Dorothy Pringle, one of nutritional sciences’ founding professors, dies at 97
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of Nutritional Sciences Emeritus Professor, Dorothy J. Pringle. Dr. Pringle was at the UW from 1949 until her retirement in 1985 and continued to be involved with the department until her passing at 97 years young. In 2013, Dorothy was awarded a citation by the Assembly of the State of Wisconsin for her service to DNS and to celebrate her 95th birthday. As a graduate student, professor of home economics and professor of nutritional sciences, she joined the staff of foods and nutrition in the department of home economics in 1953. Her main research was on social and economic influences on food habits and nutritional adequacy of minority families in this country and others. Dorothy helped build a solid base in the biological sphere of nutrition research in order to support the development of clinical and applied domains of research in nutritional sciences. She was a pioneering force for programs in dietetics and public service in nutrition, both for undergraduate and graduate students. She conducted frequency of feeding and low carbohydrate diet research for the United States Air Force, developed the Coordinated Undergraduate Program in Dietetics; represented the University as the Chair of the Biological Sciences Divisional Committee in Washington D.C.; and earned the Advisor Award of Merit. Her years devoted to educating and empowering students focused on applying course material to real-world situations aimed at serving and bettering the Madison community. As a skilled and dedicated educator, Dorothy’s passion for instilling the value and study of nutrition helped to better the field of dietetics overall and create the next generation of skilled dieticians and nutrition professionals.
To learn more about her life, read her obituary.