Kay Stearns Bruening

Director of Accreditation and Assessment

Office of the Dean, Academic Affairs

Associate Professor

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Nutrition Assessment, Consultation, & Education Center Director

Contact

315.443.9326 ksbrueni@syr.edu

Organizational Unit

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies
Falk Office of the Dean

Location

White Hall, #557
Syracuse, NY `3211

Extras

Pronouns: She, Her

Biography

Dr. Bruening’s teaching and research interests center around medical nutrition therapy. She collaborates with local medical researchers on detection of adult malnutrition and in developing food-based programs for adult weight management and related comorbidities. She has also published and presented in the area of dietetics education. Dr. Bruening serves as a program reviewer for the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and served as a Program Representative from 2006 to 2008. She has collaborated with international dietetic education programs in Chile, South Korea, and Qatar. She has served as an item writer, item reviewer, and on the Item Reclassification Panel for the Commission on Dietetic Registration examination for registered dietitian-nutritionists. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, belongs to six dietetic practice groups, and completed advanced training in child & adolescent weight management.

Education

B.S., St. Lawrence University, NY, . Major: Biology
M.A., Syracuse University, NY, . Major: Human Nutrition
Ph.D., New York University, New York, NY

Specialization

Medical nutrition therapy; Dietetic education

Teaching

Notable Courses

NSD 681 and 683 (Clinical Nutrition Therapy I & II)
NSD 682 and 684 (Clinical Nutrition Therapy Lab I & II),

Currently Teaching

FYS 101 - First Year Seminar
NSD 690 - Independent Study
NSD 225 - Nutrition in Health

Published Scholarship

Publications

Brennan, N. et al., 2022. Carb counting: Diet and diabetes virtual lab for students, Available at: https://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article/84/8/496/194074/Carb-CountingDiet-amp-Diabetes-Virtual-Laboratory.
Bruening, K.S. & Tindall, K., 2022. Focused interdisciplinary learning experience improves awareness of interdisciplinary health professions skills. In J. Acad. Nutr. Dietet. p. A–49.
Bruening, K.S. & Burrell, J.L., 2022. Implementing and evaluating reflective learning in a medical nutrition therapy lecture-lab course. In J. Acad. Nutr. Dietet. p. A–36.
Bruening, K.S. & Uzcategui, J.B., 2017. Interactive workshop teaches coding and billing for MNT reimbursement. In J. Acad. Nutr. Dietet. p. A–33.
Ren, J., Brann, L.S., Bruening, K.S., Scerpella, T.A. and Dowthwaite, J.N., 2017. Relationships among diet, physical activity, and dual plane dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry bone outcomes in pre-pubertalgirls. Archives of Osteoporosis, [online] 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-017-0312-9.
Wang, F., Chen, W., Bruening, K.S., Raj, S. and Larsen, D.A., 2016. Nutrition Screening Tools and the Prediction of Clinical Outcomes among Chinese Hospitalized Gastrointestinal Disease Patients. PLOS ONE, [online] 11(8), p.e0159436. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0159436.
Ren, J. et al., 2014. Effects of diet and physical activity on dual plane dual X-ray absorptiometry bone outcomes in pre-pubertal girls. In J. Acad. Nutr. Dietet. p. A–49.
Bruening, K.S., 2013. Implementing cell phone polling in a medical nutrition therapy course. In J. Acad. Nutr. Dietet. p. A–66.
Holmstrup, M.E. & Bruening, K.S., 2013. Quantifying accurate calorie estimation using the “Think Aloud” method,
Bruening, K.S., 2013. Research & practice innovations: Implementing cell phone polling in a medical nutrition therapy course. In J. Acad. Nutr. Dietet. p. A–39.

Presentations

Bruening, K.S., 2025. ACEND new program reviewer training. In Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Chicago, IL. ACEND New Program Reviewer Training. Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.
Bruening, K.S., 2024. Learning continuous glucose monitoring in a medical nutrition therapy course. In Qatar University, Department of Nutrition Sciences.
Bruening, K.S., 2024. Who provides better nutrition interventions: RDs-to-Be or Chat GPT?. In Qatar University, Department of Nutrition Sciences.
Bruening, K.S., 2024. Learning continuous glucose monitoring in a medical nutrition therapy course. In International Congress of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Bruening, K.S., 2023. Roads to Registration. In NYS Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting and Expo.
Bruening, K.S., 2022. Foods that heal: The value of nutrition in injury/surgery recovery. In National Comp Conference.
Bruening, K.S. & Burrell, J.L., 2022. Implementing and evaluating reflective learning in a medical nutrition therapy lecture-lab course. In Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Food & Nutrition Conference & Exhibition. Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Food & Nutrition.
Bruening, K.S. & Tindall, K.M., 2022. Focused interdisciplinary learning experience improves awareness of interprofessional health professions skills. In Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Food & Nutrition Conference & Exhibition. Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Food & Nutrition.
Bruening, K.S., 2022. Educational innovations to prepare future pediatric nutrition professionals. In Qatar University First Annual Pediatric Nutrition Conference. Qatar University.
Bruening, K.S., 2022. Role of nutrition in recovery from injury/surgery. In International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions, Medical Issues Committee.

Consulting

United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Member, International Advisory Board, Nutrition & Dietetics Programs
Qatar University Colleges of Medicine & Health, Doha, Qatar. Member, International Advisory Board, Qatar University Health
Utica University. External Reviewer – NYSED Program Application Proposed Master’s Degree Program in Dietetics and Nutrition
National Center for Academic Accreditation and Evaluation, Education and Training. Program Reviewer Candidate National Center for Academic Accreditation and Evaluation, Education and Training Evaluation Commission Saudi Arabia
Manchester University, Department of Pharmacy. ACEND Cohort 5 Future Education Model Application review MS, Nutrition and Nutrigenomics

Active Service

University

Member, International Advisory Board for Colleges of Medicine & Health Professions, Office of the Vice President, Qatar University. Attended Zoom meeting in spring 2024 semester. Prepared written reports and submitted for November 2024 in-person meeting in Doha, Qatar.. (active since: 2023)

Professional Service

Board of Editors Member, Topics in Clinical Nutrition (active since: 2017)
Reviewer/Referee, Accreditation Council for Education in Dietetics and Nutrition (ACEND), Chicago, IL, Program Reviewer (since 2002) and Board Member (2005-2008) Reviewed application for Substantive Change, Howard University dietetics program, January 2024. Lead site visitor for Indiana University of Indianapolis Coordinated Dietetics Program, moving from Candidacy to Full Accreditation, April 2024. Lead site visitor for reaccreditation of Coordinated Dietetics Program at University of Montevallo (AL), October 2024.. (active since: 2002)

Public

Member, Institute of Technology At Syracuse-Central, Culinary Advisory Board (active since: 2023)

Honors, Awards, and Recognition

Fellow, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (received: 2014)
Outstanding Dietetic Educator, Northeastern US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nutrition & Dietetics Educators & Preceptors
Evan Weissman Memorial Faculty of the Year Award, Syracuse University

Memberships

Diabetes Care and Education Nutrition & Dietetic Educators of Practitioners Dietitians in Integrative & Functional Medicine
Central New York Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. formerly American Dietetic Association

Licensures and Certifications

Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Commission on Dietetic Registration. #611644
Certification in Child and Adolescent Weight Management, Commission on Dietetic Registration. (since: 2004)
ServSafe Manager, National Restaurant Association. (since: 2022)