Jillian Ruhl, MScAHN, PDt
Lab Instructor and Faculty Supervising Dietitian
(and MSVU Campus Beekeeper!)
Evaristus 314
Jillian.ruhl@msvu.ca
Phone: 902-457-6465
Teaching Areas
For Fall 2023 and Winter 2024:
Laboratory for Ecological Perspectives of Food (NUTR326*L)
Laboratory for Issues in Food Product Development (NUTR400*L/GAHN640*L)
As the Faculty Supervising Dietitian for the Internship Education Program, I serve as an educational liaison between dietetic interns and sponsors/preceptors at sponsoring organizations of our program. My duty is to facilitate a close working relationship with sponsors and interns, provide guidance and support regarding learning activities, and oversee the progress of interns as they attain entry-level competence to become Registered Dietitians. I am also responsible for supervising students in the Food and Nutrition Practicum Program and optimizing their learning as they gain industry experience in unique work settings.
As a Laboratory Instructor, I create modern lesson plans and bring relevant material with regards to technology use, current affairs, the latest evidence-based research, and industry advancements in food and nutrition. I am always on the lookout for new opportunities, food products, and community initiatives for lab activities (including samples to sensory evaluate!), field trips, and guest speakers to keep each semester exciting for the students, as well as myself.
My ultimate goal is to help learners achieve the best educational experience possible in their journey of becoming competent, confident, and fulfilled professionals. My supervision and teaching approach is both individualized and collaborative. Working one-on-one, I offer guidance and learning opportunities catered to each learner’s interests, needs, and goals. Working with groups of students, I integrate games and team-building activities, and pose critical questions to open the space for meaningful discussions and peer relationship-building.
Research and Professional Interests
As an avid forager, beekeeper, and gardener, my main interests surround the provision of food from the ground to our bodies. I have a continued curiosity in the changing landscape and hyper-local foods, food reskilling in the wilderness, and shifting the dietetic paradigm beyond human-centric health strategies. I also have an interest in dietetic education and the student experience and using transdisciplinary research that may inspire and change the way we think about food.
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Mann L, Blotnicky, K, Ruhl J, McDowell A. (2023). Influences of childhood memories on university students’ eating and physical activity: a qualitative description study: childhood memories influence student lifestyle. The International Journal of Health, Wellness, and Society, 14(1), 107–130. https://doi.org/10.18848/2156-8960/CGP/v14i01/107-130
Ruhl, J., & Lordly, D. (2020). University Students Harvesting the Benefits of a Garden Laboratory. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 82(3):107-114. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2021-004
Lordly, D., Lövestam, E., Ruhl, J. (2019). Awakening the Possibilities: An Exploration of Critical Nutrition and Dietetic Training and Education. In: Coveney, J., Booth, S. (eds) Critical Dietetics and Critical Nutrition Studies. Food Policy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03113-8_4
Ruhl, J., & Lordly, D. (2017). The Nature of Competition in Dietetics Education: A Narrative Review. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 78: 129-136. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2017-004
Master’s Dissertation
Ruhl, J. (2021). Wild Edible Plants in Nova Scotia: Food Tourism Environmental Scan (Master of Science Applied Human Nutrition, MSVU). http://hdl.handle.net/10587/2193
For information about the MSVU Campus Beehive, visit:
The Buzz on Campus: Honeybee Hive Installed at the Mount
The MSVU Honeybee Hive