Lisa Franzen-Castle named CEHS associate dean for faculty affairs

15 Jun 2021    

Lisa Franzen-Castle has been named associate dean for faculty affairs in the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She will start in the role on July 1.

Franzen-Castle was recently promoted to full professor in the Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, effective July 1. She also serves as an extension nutrition specialist.

“I am thrilled to welcome Lisa to the CEHS leadership team,” said Sherri Jones, dean of the college. “She will play a key role in helping our faculty achieve success throughout all career levels.”

In the associate dean role, Franzen-Castle will serve as liaison between the college and faculty affairs in the university’s executive vice chancellor’s office. She will provide leadership in the development and implementation of effective strategies, practices and policies to enhance faculty success and professional development. She will also serve as a resource for promotion and tenure, faculty development leave, faculty appointments and reappointments, faculty searches and hiring, and faculty merit and salary.

“I am honored to be selected as the associate dean for faculty affairs,” Fanzen-Castle said. “I am excited for the opportunity to collaborate with a wide array of faculty members, administrators, staff, and students in this role as well as serve as an advocate and provide support for CEHS through this position.” 

A registered dietitian, Franzen-Castle has been at Nebraska since 2009. Her research is in the area of nutrition education and nutritional behavioral changes for adults. Drawing from quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis, her research activities are directed by applied collaborative approaches and psychological models of behavior theories. As an extension nutrition specialist, Franzen-Castle plans, markets, teaches, conducts and evaluates educational programs and martials related to nutrition, health and wellness education for adults.

Dissemination of research and the scholarly work of Extension activities has been a high priority. She has co-authored 70 journal articles, 69 presentations, and 81 published abstracts spanning academic and professional refereed venues. Franzen-Castle has found ways to take an active role in research activities and projects, while maintaining an active role in translating and applying scientific information to the public through Extension publications and other media outlets.

Many of her Extension efforts are integrated with her research work through a combination of multi-state and Nebraska-based collaborations, resulting in approximately $4.8 million as PI or Co-PI from intramural and extramural sources. Extramural support reflects multi-state work and local, state and regional projects from non-profit, foundation, financial cooperative, government and federal sources, accounting for approximately 97% of her funding record. Through these projects, she has had the opportunity to address issues surrounding young adults through membership in the NC-1193 multi-state research group, parents, primary meal preparers and childcare providers through childhood obesity prevention-related funding, and rural and urban adults and communities with food security and food access-related funding.

Individual  awards and accolades include the Gold Author Recognition Award from the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, the Early Professional Achievement Award from the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, the Omtvedt Innovation Award for Extension from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Emerging Dietetic Leader Award from the Nebraska Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Franzen-Castle has also received team awards at the state, regional, and national level in recognition of her dedication to the field. 

Franzen-Castle earned a bachelor’s degree in dietetics and a master’s degree in entomology from Nebraska. She received her doctorate in nutrition with a minor in anthropology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. During her graduate studies, she served as a graduate research and teaching assistant.

To learn more about the work of faculty in the College of Education and Human Sciences, visit https://cehs.unl.edu/.