Ock Chun, PhD, MPH

Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education & Associate Director of the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station

Dr. Ock Chun is a Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and a globally recognized scholar whose work has significantly shaped the field of nutritional epidemiology. Her academic leadership extends across research collaborations, extramural funding development, and graduate mentorship, with a focus on translational research that bridges epidemiology, clinical nutrition, and public health.

Throughout her career, Dr. Chun has led pioneering studies on dietary antioxidant capacity as a tool for predicting nutrition-related disease risk, directed multiple clinical trials evaluating the health effects of dietary supplements and food-based interventions, and developed innovative, community-centered nutrition programs for underserved populations. Her recent work incorporates wearable health technologies and digital literacy tools, reflecting a modern, multidisciplinary approach to nutrition science and health equity. Dr. Chun has been awarded approximately $12 million in total research funding, serving as principal investigator on over $6.7 million in competitive grants from major funders such as the USDA, NIH, and Samsung Global Research.

Dr. Chun has been continuously recognized among Stanford University’s Top 2% of global researchers (2019–2024) and has published more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles, five book chapters, and has delivered over 30 invited talks at national and international conferences.
An active contributor to the scientific community, Dr. Chun serves on editorial boards of 14 international journals, including Nutrients, Nutrition Research and Practice, and American Journal of College Nutrition. She has provided grant reviews for multiple international and U.S. agencies, including USDA, the Singapore National Medical Research Council, and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. She has also served in leadership roles within the American Society for Nutrition, including Chair of the Community and Public Health Nutrition Research Interest Section.

Dr. Chun has mentored over 60 students, including postdoctoral scholars, doctoral and master’s students, and undergraduate researchers. Her students have received numerous awards and co-authored high-impact publications under her guidance.

Dr. Chun’s accolades include the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award from Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, the 2021 Faculty Research Excellence Award from CAHNR at UConn, the Charles A. Ragus Award for Best Original Research from the American College of Nutrition, and the 2015 Brain Pool Scholar designation from the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies. She is a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition.