Dr. Shawn M. Arent is Professor and Chair of the Department of Exercise Science in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. He is also the Director of the UofSC Sport Science Lab. Dr. Arent is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction with the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), and a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), and the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK). He is also the immediate past-president of the ISSN. He was recognized as the 2017 Outstanding Sport Scientist of the Year by the NSCA, was awarded a Lifetime Service Recognition by the US Army 3-314th Field Artillery Thunder Battalion (the first such award given to a civilian), and received the 2016 Directors Award for Scientific Excellence. His research focuses on physiological and psychological responses to training-related and life stressors and their contribution to optimal health and performance. The primary emphasis of his work in this area involves examining underlying endocrine mechanisms related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes and inflammation and corresponding intensity and dose-response considerations. Additionally, he has worked with USSOCOM as well as teams and athletes in the NHL, MLB, NBA, NFL, the US Soccer Federation, and a number of teams at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels.

Stacy T. Sims, Ph.D., is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance, specifically sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions.
Prior to being launched into industry, she served as an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist at Stanford University from 2007 to 2012, where she specialized in sex differences with environmental and nutritional considerations for recovery and performance, specializing in women's health and performance. With the unique opportunities Silicon Valley has to offer, during her tenure at Stanford, she had the opportunity to translate earlier research into consumer products and a science-based layperson's book (ROAR) written to explain sex differences in training and nutrition across the lifespan. Both the consumer products and the book challenged the existing dogma for women in exercise, nutrition, and health. Her contributions to the international research environment and the sports nutrition industry has established a new niche in sports nutrition; and established her reputation as the expert in sex differences in training, nutrition, and health. A regularly featured speaker at professional and academic conferences, including those hosted by US Olympic Committee, High-Performance Sport NZ, and USA Cycling, is a Senior Research Associate at AUT University and resides at the beach in Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand with her husband and young daughter.

Tim Ziegenfuss, PhD, CSCS, FISSN is a renowned sports nutrition and exercise scientist with graduate degrees from Purdue and Kent State University. He is a Past President and Fellow of The International Society of Sports Nutrition and CEO/Co-founder of The Center for Applied Health Sciences. As a scientific advisor to the sports nutrition market, his input has lead to the creation of dozens of products that currently grace the shelves of every major retailer in numerous countries around the world and account for millions in revenues. As a sports nutritionist, his client list includes current and former Olympic Track and Field athletes, Professional Mixed Martial Arts fighters, NFL, MLB, NHL, high school and NCAA athletes, firefighters, police, Department of Homeland Security personnel, and the U.S. Military including the Army, Navy Seals, and Secret Service. Dr. Ziegenfuss has been quoted in Scientific American, published more than 600 articles in mainstream magazines, co-authored ~50 peer-reviewed scientific publications and 8 book chapters, and has had numerous interviews/appearances in top 25 national print media.

Dr Enette Larson-Meyer recently joined the faculty at Virginia Tech in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise where she directs the Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (NEM) Laboratory. Her research interests center around how nutrition influences the health and performance of active individuals at all stages of the lifecycle and at all levels of performance--from the casual exerciser to the elite athlete. Her most recent research interest include assessment of iodine and vitamin D status and the importance of these nutrients in disease prevention, general wellness and exercise performance. Enette has authored over ninety scientific articles and book chapters, is the author of “Plant-Based Sports Nutrition. Expert Fueling Strategies for Training, Recovery, and Performance” with Matt Ruscigno (Human Kinetics, 2020) and has served on several recent International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus panels. She is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and serves as an Associate Editor for Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and the Science and Medicine of Football (soccer). Dr Larson-Meyer completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Wyoming in dietetics, her dietetic training and masters at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and her doctoral and postdoctoral studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Earlier in her career she completed a sports nutrition internship experience at the Olympic Training Center and served as the sports dietitian for the UAB Blazers. She has worked with numerous athletes throughout her career and is currently passionate about understanding endocrine disorders in this population. Her personal interests include trail running, flat water kayaking, Irish Step dancing, strength training, gardening, yoga, cooking and wine tasting. She is the proud mother of three college students, two of whom play D2 collegiate football (soccer) at US Universities.

Dr. John Ivy is the Teresa Lozano Long Endowed Chair Emeritus at the University of Texas. He received his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Maryland, and trained in physiology and metabolism at Washington University School of Medicine as an NIH Post-Doctoral Fellow. He served on the faculty at the University of Texas for 31 years and as Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education for 13 years. Dr. Ivy is the author of more than 190 scientific papers, numerous book chapters, and four books on sports nutrition including the landmark Nutrient Timing; The Future of Sports Nutrition, now published in four languages. His research has pioneered our understanding of muscle metabolism and how nutritional supplementation can improve exercise performance, recovery and training adaptation. His research has also focused on the effects of exercise and nutrition on muscle glucose transport and insulin resistance, and how appropriate levels of physical activity and diet can prevent Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Funding for his research has come from The National Institutes of Health, American Diabetes Association, Texas Heart Association, and private industry. Dr. Ivy has consulted with numerous food and supplement companies on product development and the science of sports nutrition. Dr. Ivy is a Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). He has received the ACSM's prestigious Citation Award for his lifetime of achievement in the field of exercise physiology, and the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association's Tom Osborne Award for his lifetime of contributions to sports nutrition.

Dr. Dan Benardot is Professor of Practice in the Center for the Study of Human Health at Emory University, and Professor of Nutrition, Emeritus, at Georgia State University, where prior to his retirement he co-directed the Laboratory for Elite Athlete Performance. He received his PhD from Cornell University, is a Registered/Licensed Dietitian, and a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Benardot’s most recent books are the 3rd Edition of “Advanced Sports Nutrition” © 2021, and “ACSM’s Nutrition for Exercise Science” © 2019. He is the author of numerous research journal articles, and his most recent journal publication is “Nutritional Concerns for the Artistic Athlete”, published in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Clinics of North America © 2021. This article’s content is the focus of a new course at Emory University, entitled “Nutrition for the Performing Arts”. He has served as nutritionist for several Olympic teams, including gymnastics, figure skating, and track and field (marathon). He co-authored American College of Sports Medicine/Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/Canadian Dietetic Association 1993 position paper on ‘Nutrition and Athletic Performance’ and served as a reviewer representing the American College of Sports Medicine for the 2009 and 2016 position papers. Dr. Benardot’s current research focus is the influence of real-time energy and nutrient balance on performance and health.

Dr. Mattes is a Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science at Purdue University, Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine and Affiliated Scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center. His research focuses on the areas of taste function, hunger and satiety, food preferences, regulation of food intake in humans and human cephalic phase responses. At Purdue, Dr. Mattes is the Head of the Ingestive Behavior Research Center. Outside of Purdue he was a member of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee; is the past-president of the American Society of Nutrition and Secretary of the Rose Marie Pangborn Sensory Science Scholarship Fund. He has authored over 295 publications. Dr. Mattes earned an undergraduate degree in biology and a Masters degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan as well as a doctorate degree in Human Nutrition from Cornell University. He conducted post-doctoral studies at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the Monell Chemical Senses Center.

Alan Aragon is a nutrition researcher and educator with over 25 years of success in the field. He is known as one of the most influential figures in the fitness industry’s movement towards evidence-based information & practice. His notable clients include Stone Cold Steve Austin, Derek Fisher, and Pete Sampras. Alan writes a monthly research review (AARR) providing cutting-edge theoretical and practical information. Alan’s work has been published in popular magazines as well as the peer-reviewed scientific literature. He co-authored Nutrient Timing Revisited, the most-viewed article in the history of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN). He also is the lead author of the ISSN Position Stand on Diets & Body Composition. Alan maintains a private practice designing programs for recreational, Olympic, professional athletes — and of course regular people striving to be their best.