Amanda Gowin

Biography:

Current Position
Dr. Gowin currently serves as Department Chair and Assistant Professor for the Health and Exercise Science Department.  Dr. Gowin’s background is public health and nutrition.  She teaches a variety of courses each year including; Intro to Nutritional Sciences, Intro to Epidemiology, Global Health, Health Education, Sport Psychology, Women’s Health and Community Nutrition.  She serves as a major advisor for exercise science and health & wellness, along with minors for public health and nutritional sciences.  She also works closely with students for department-related internships and research capstones. 

Professional Interests
Dr. Gowin’s research interests are related to health-behavior change, especially regarding community-based learning. She strives to work towards sustainable solutions for health improvements and considers herself a public health practitioner through a teaching outlet.

Dr. Gowin also works in global health initiatives, currently hosting study abroad experiences in Greece and Tanzania.  The Greece experience includes learning about the Mediterranean Diet and heart health along with eating traditional Greek cuisine in the Athens/Olympia/Santorini areas.  Her work in Tanzania is partnered with a non-profit organization, Humanity for Children, where professor emeritus Bob Hansen serves as director. Dr. Gowin’s work is a continuation of the work that Dr. Hansen started in 2008 at Westminster College. This work includes several public health related experiences to improve maternal/child health with the Maasai community in rural, northern Tanzania. 

Education
Dr. Gowin has received her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Missouri-Columbia.  She also has a master’s degree in Education Counseling Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Missouri.  Dr. Gowin is a registered and licensed dietitian and has additional training in sports nutrition from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

Background
Dr. Gowin currently resides in Fulton with her husband, Matt, ’92 ΒΘΠ, and their blended family; Sam, Katherine, Liv, and Hope.  Dr. Gowin has worked at Westminster College since 2008, first serving as a health educator and dietitian with the Wellness Center along with part-time teaching and moving into a full-time teaching role in 2014. Prior to Westminster, Dr. Gowin worked for local health departments and served as an adjunct instructor for University of Missouri-Columbia and William Woods University. She enjoys being active, especially outdoors and attending concerts and sporting events with her family.