Nicole Vitale is a Postdoctoral Associate in the STEM Transformation Institute. She earned her PhD at Florida International University in Dietetics and Nutrition with research focused on community nutrition education for teachers, children, and families. She received the “Outstanding Graduate” award in Spring 2024 for recognition of her innovative academic work. Dr. Vitale was awarded the NSF STEM Education Individual Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (STEMEdIPRF) and will be focusing her research on the intersection of STEM education and nutrition science through development of culturally affirming, at-home, co-cooking activities for Latino families to evaluate the effects on children’s STEM identity, career aspirations, and diet quality.