The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) is pleased to announce the creation of the new Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences (FNS), effective July 1. The new department reflects a shared commitment to addressing some of today’s most pressing challenges in food systems and human health through innovative research, teaching and outreach.

“I am grateful to the faculty and staff who have worked together over the course of the past two years to create a vision for this new department,” says CALS Dean Glenda Gillaspy. “‘ Food as medicine’ is seen as an increasingly important approach to the human health challenges our society is facing. The Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences is uniquely positioned to innovate in this space and will play an important role in fulfilling our land-grant mission in the 21^st century.”

FNS brings together two former departments: the Department of Food Science and the Department of Nutritional Sciences. The merged department will continue to administer all of the existing undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs, as well as established public outreach programs. The research interests of the department are broad, including food chemistry and sustainability, metabolism and biotherapeutics. Faculty, staff and students will collaborate across disciplines to advance knowledge at the nexus of food and nutrition.

“Bringing together our diverse expertise offers unique opportunities to advance the Wisconsin Idea and amplify our impact locally and globally,” says Scott Rankin, who will serve as the first chair of FNS.

The Department of Food Science (initially called the Department of Dairy Husbandry) started in 1890 for farmers learning about butter and cheese-making operations. The Department of Nutritional Sciences was established in 1968, when parts of the home economics department in CALS evolved into the current day School of Human Ecology and the university formed a department in CALS focused on the biological research of human nutrition needed to support the development of clinical and applied research.

In 2024, the two departments’ administrative offices began operating as a hub, and a merger exploration committee was formed in collaboration with the Office of Strategic Consulting. The committee was co-chaired by Scott Rankin (food science) and David Eide (nutritional sciences) and facilitated discussions to envision the structure of a merged unit. In May 2025, both departments voted to form FNS. The plan received CALS Academic Planning Council approval in fall of 2025 and University Academic Planning Council approval in December 2025.