ASPEN Committees

Each year, hundreds of clinical nutrition healthcare providers volunteer their expertise in support of the Society’s mission in leading the science and practice of clinical nutrition. Serving on an ASPEN committee is just one of the ways you can give back to the field. Most committees are appointed in the spring and serve from June 1 – May 31 for three-year terms. The annual conference program committee is appointed in the late fall. Membership on committees is available to members in good standing. Volunteer applications are now closed and will reopen in early 2025.


Abstract Review Committee  

The Abstract Review Committee oversees the abstract and poster processes for the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference. The committee is interprofessional.  Members of the Abstract Review Committee have the necessary skills to review and critically evaluate scientific and clinical research submitted in abstract form. The Abstract Review Committee work takes place from September through December annually. Committee members can expect to complete independent reviews of submitted abstracts and participate in remote/virtual meetings for abstract selection and determination of abstract award winners. There is no in person meeting participation requirement. In compliance with accreditation standards, industry representatives and employees cannot be appointed to this committee.

Specific Activities:

  • Review and rank scientifically and clinically-based abstracts submitted for presentation at the conference 
  • Identify award winning abstracts (i.e. Vars Candidates, Abstracts of Distinction, Posters of Distinction, etc.)
  • If requested, serve as a moderator in oral paper sessions at the conference
  • If requested, serve as a group leader for one of the abstract topic categories 

ASPEN Fellow Program Committee

The Fellows Program Committee oversees the FASPEN program. The committee is interprofessional. The committee meets remotely/virtually throughout the year in addition to conducting business electronically. Members of the committee must have and maintain the FASPEN designation. Committee members are not eligible to provide recommendations for FASPEN candidates.

Specific Activities:

  • Annually, in the fall, review candidates for the FASPEN program and selecting those to recommend to the ASPEN Board of Directors for acceptance of the designation
  • Annually review the FASPEN application for improvements and clarity
  • Review and develop potential benefits for all current FASPENs

 
Clinical Practice Committee

The Clinical Practice Committee (CPC) is charged with supporting ASPEN’s clinical practice initiatives across all specialty areas, the age spectrum, and care settings to advocate for and promote safe and efficacious clinical nutrition to optimize patient outcomes. The CPC oversees the development of clinical practice content.  ASPEN members actively engaged in clinical practice, research, education, medical affairs, or administration are well suited for this committee.  ASPEN members actively engaged in clinical practice and with more than five years of experience are preferred. CPC members are expected to actively engage in at least one subcommittee and participate in a majority of committee meetings throughout the volunteer year. This committee meets virtually throughout the year via video conferencing.

Specific Activities:

  • Annually reviews clinical content on ASPEN website and identifies opportunities for the development of new tools and/or ways to improve use by clinicians, researchers, and educators and/or website revision
  • Annually performs a needs assessment to identify practice gaps and to guide and prioritize future clinical practice initiatives
  • Reviews proposals for the development of new ASPEN projects, clinical tools, guidelines, and other educational initiative generated from individuals, committees, sections, and other ASPEN groups prior to ASPEN Board of Directors review
  • Serves as peer reviewers for ASPEN Board of Directors approved manuscripts
  • Generates proposals for clinical practice related educational session at the ASPEN Nutrition Science and Practice Conference 
  • Advocates for safe and efficacious use of PN and EN to optimize patient outcomes
  • Advocates for malnutrition best practices related to screening, assessment, intervention, documentation and coding 
  • Supports ASPEN’s strategic plan related to clinical practice initiatives

Subcommittees:

  • Clinical Content Review Subcommittee
  • Clinical Practice Needs Assessment Subcommittee
  • Clinical Practice Committee – CPH Newsletter Subcommittee
  • Clinical Practice Communications/Social Media Subcommittee

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force will serve as an advisory group to provide information and recommendations to the ASPEN Board of Directors on actions needed to advocate and support clinical nutrition practitioners from diverse backgrounds. The DEI Task Force guidance assists the Board with ensuring that ASPEN's a welcoming organization for all members, provides a transparent, inclusive experience, and creates equitable access to valuable, personal, and professional development opportunities. This is a short-term opportunity for an interprofessional group. The group will meet remotely/virtually.

Specific Activities:

  • Create a diversity profile of ASPEN (defined as age, gender, orientation and underrepresented minority groups (NIH definition)
  • Based on the profile, develop recommendations on goals for ASPEN to become a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable association
  • Draft a workplan to implement the goals once approved by the Board of Directors
  • Identify metrics to measure the implementation of the goals

Education & Professional Development Committee

The EPD committee oversees the suite of ASPEN’s educational initiatives.  The committee is interprofessional.  The committee meets remotely/virtually throughout the year in addition to conducting business electronically.  Members of this committee have an interest in educating other healthcare professionals in nutrition therapy through the creation of new and innovative professional development resources.  Ideal individuals for this committee have experience in education programming through volunteer or job-related experiences.

In compliance with accreditation standards, industry representatives and employees cannot be appointed to this committee.

Specific Activities:

  • Accrediting Education Programs.  EPD committee members review and make decisions on the accreditation of ASPEN’s education programs including but not limited to the following programs
    • Joint Providership of Chapter Continuing Education (CE) Events
    • Malnutrition Awareness Week Programming
    • Self-Assessment Module Updates
    • Section Forum Education Programs
    • ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference
  • Journal CE Program.  Review all articles and supporting information from the authors to determine appropriateness of affiliating CE credit with the article.  Committee members can expect to review approximately five (5) articles over the course of the year, and articles may be from NCP or JPEN.
  • Nutrition Support Fundamentals Course. Evaluate and suggest modifications to content and faculty for the Nutrition Support Fundamentals Course.
  • Development of future learning opportunities based on assessing needs and identifying gaps of ASPEN’s target audience.

Enteral Nutrition Committee

The Enteral Nutrition Committee (ENC) is charged with supporting ASPEN initiatives on EN across the age spectrum and across all care settings to advocate for and promote the safe and efficacious use of EN to optimize patient outcomes.  ASPEN members actively engaged and with experience in EN related clinical practice, research, education, medical affairs, or administrative responsibilities are well suited for this committee.  ENC members are expected to actively engage in at least one subcommittee and participate in a majority of committee meetings throughout the volunteer year. This committee meets virtually throughout the year via video conferencing. 

Specific Activities: 

  • Advocates for safe and efficacious use of EN to optimize patient outcomes.
  • Generates proposals for the development of new ASPEN projects, clinical tools, guidelines, and other educational initiatives related to EN.
  • Generates proposals for EN related educational session at the ASPEN Nutrition Science and Practice Conference. 
  • Annually updates Enteral Nutrition Video Library
  • Annually updates Enteral Nutrition Formula Guide
  • Provides updates on latest literature on EN for inclusion in Clinical Practice Highlights.
  • Hosts educational events related to EN (one to three events/year).
  • Monitors EN product and device shortages and develops considerations for management, as needed.
  • Identifies health information technology (HIT) and electronic health record (EHR) issues that affect patient safety and system effectiveness in EN management.
  • Contributes to public policy and advocacy initiatives on EN.
  • Provides ASPEN with key communication and social media messaging related to EN.

Subcommittees:

  • EN Video Library Subcommittee
  • EN Formula Guide Subcommittee
  • EN Formula Education Subcommittee
  • EN Formula Shortage Subcommittee
  • Health Information Technology (HIT) and Electronic Health Record (EHR) Subcommittee

Malnutrition Committee

The Malnutrition Committee is charged with supporting ASPEN initiatives on malnutrition across the age spectrum and across all care settings to advocate for and promote screening, assessment, intervention, documentation and coding practices.  ASPEN members actively engaged and with experience malnutrition related clinical practice, research, education, medical affairs, or administrative responsibilities are well suited for this committee.  Malnutrition committee members are expected to actively engage in at least one subcommittee and participate in a majority of committee meetings throughout the volunteer year. This committee meets virtually throughout the year via video conferencing.

Specifics Activities: 

  • Advocates for malnutrition best practices related to screening, assessment, intervention, documentation and coding.
  • Support ASPEN's malnutrition strategy
  • Generates proposals for the development of new ASPEN projects, clinical tools, guidelines, and other educational initiatives related to malnutrition.
  • Generates proposals for malnutrition related educational session at the ASPEN Nutrition Science and Practice Conference.
  • Provides updates on latest literature on malnutrition for inclusion in Clinical Practice Highlights.
  • Assists with planning ASPEN’s annual Malnutrition Awareness Week.
  • Hosts educational events related to malnutrition (one to three events/year).
  • Identifies health information technology (HIT) and electronic health record (EHR) issues that affect patient safety and system effectiveness related to malnutrition.
  • Contributes to public policy and advocacy initiatives on malnutrition.
  • Provides ASPEN with key communication and social media messaging related to malnutrition.

 Subcommittees:

  • Malnutrition Education Subcommittee
  • Malnutrition Awareness Week Subcommittee
  • Malnutrition Coding and Educational Subcommittee
  • Health Information Technology (HIT) and Electronic Health Record (EHR) Subcommittee

Membership & Engagement Committee

The Membership & Engagement Committee is responsible for enhancing the member experience through annual review of member categories and benefits, assisting with annual member promotion and retention efforts, overseeing the membership awards process, and reviewing engagement activities for members. This committee is interprofessional. Membership awards are managed by the committee. The committee meets remotely/virtually throughout the year in addition to conducting business electronically. Members of the committee may not apply for ASPEN membership awards or provide recommendations for candidates.

Specific Activities:

  • Select the most appropriate recipients for the membership awards.
  • Periodically review the scope of the membership awards and potentially identify new areas needing recognition and recommending changes or sunsetting of existing awards.
  • Serve as ambassadors of ASPEN, promoting the benefits to colleagues.
  • Review proposed membership campaigns and member benefits.

Parenteral Nutrition Committee

The Parenteral Nutrition Committee (PNC) is charged with supporting ASPEN initiatives on PN across the age spectrum and across all care settings to advocate for and promote the safe and efficacious use of PN to optimize patient outcomes.  ASPEN members actively engaged and with experience in PN related clinical practice, research, education, medical affairs, or administrative responsibilities are well suited for this committee.  PNC members are expected to actively engage in at least one subcommittee and participate in a majority of committee meetings throughout the volunteer year. This committee meets virtually throughout the year via video conferencing.

Specific Activities:

  • Advocates for safe and efficacious use of PN to optimize patient outcomes.
  • Generates proposals for the development of new ASPEN projects, clinical tools, guidelines, and other educational initiatives related to PN.
  • Generates proposals for PN related educational session at the ASPEN Nutrition Science and Practice Conference.
  • Provides updates on latest literature on PN for inclusion in Clinical Practice Highlights.
  • Annually updates PN Assessment and Guideline Review (Pharmacy Practice News).
  • Contributes two publications/videos to Pharmacy Practice News.
  • Hosts educational events related to PN  (one to three events/year).
  • Monitors PN product and device shortages and develops considerations for management.
  • Identifies health information technology (HIT) and electronic health record (EHR) issues that affect patient safety and system effectiveness in PN management. 
  • Contributes to public policy and advocacy initiatives on PN.
  • Provides ASPEN with key communication and social media messaging related to PN.

Subcommittees:

  • PN Assessment and Guideline Review Subcommittee
  • Pharmacy Practice News Publication Subcommittee
  • PN Education Subcommittee
  • PN Shortage Subcommittee
  • Health Information Technology (HIT) and Electronic Health Record (EHR) Subcommittee

Physician Engagement Committee


The Physician Engagement Committee supports the ASPEN strategic goal of growing the ASPEN physician community both nationally and internationally. The goals are to increase physician awareness of ASPEN activities/resources of value to physicians, and to develop programming and other activities to engage physicians in nutrition and ASPEN, including raising the awareness of the importance of nutrition across medical practice and other professional societies. The committee meets via a monthly conference call in the evening. Committee members must be ASPEN physician members interested in driving physician engagement within ASPEN.

Specific Activities:

  • Planning the annual Physician Course held at the ASPEN conference and coordinating a corresponding JPEN supplement.
  • Filming of monthly physician spotlights.
  • Authoring key publications which include article reviews and publishing thought-provoking and educational articles every two months in NCP.
  • Coordinating physician nominations for awards.
  • One Capstone project per year.
  • Planning of session submissions for the ASPEN Nutrition Science and Practice Conference.
  • Collaborating with other medical societies to bring nutrition to the forefront of the organizations.
  • Management of the Medical Practice Section.

Subcommittees:

  • Key Publications Subcommittee
  • Medical Practice Section Management Subcommittee
  • Nominations Subcommittee
  • Physician Course Subcommittee
  • Physician Spotlights Subcommittee

Public Policy & Advocacy (PPA) Committee

The Public Policy and Advocacy (PPA) Committee is charged with supporting ASPEN initiatives related to public policy and advocacy across the age spectrum and across all care settings.  ASPEN members actively engaged in clinical practice, research, education, medical affairs, or administrative responsibilities are well suited for this committee.  Members with knowledge of public policy preferred, but all are welcome.  Individuals involved with sales or marketing for the nutrition industry cannot be appointed to this committee. This committee meets virtually throughout the year via video conferencing.

Specific Activities:

  • Maintains and promotes ASPEN Advocacy and Public Policy Agenda and priorities to members and the healthcare community.
  • Annually evaluates advocacy activities to determine effectiveness, identify opportunities, strengthen coalition engagement, identify gaps, prioritize activities, and develop messaging.
  • Supports legislation addressing access and reimbursement of medical nutrition therapies, nutrition services, and reimbursement of professionals.
  • Develops tools to help ASPEN members with advocacy calls to action.
  • Maintains communication channels with all stakeholders to assure adequate supply of PN and EN therapies, devices, nutrition therapies, and infrastructure.
  • Assists with relevant opportunities for open comment on nutrition related issues.
  • Generates proposals for the development of new ASPEN projects, clinical tools, guidelines, and other educational initiatives related to public policy and advocacy.
  • Generates proposals for public policy and advocacy related educational session at the ASPEN Nutrition Science and Practice Conference.
  • Supports the Public Policy/Advocacy booth at the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference.
  • Provides updates for inclusion in Clinical Practice Highlights.
  • Supports advocacy related efforts for ASPEN’s annual Malnutrition Awareness Week.
  • Hosts non-CE educational events related to public policy/ advocacy (one to three events/year).
  • Provides ASPEN with key communication and social media messaging related to public policy and advocacy.

Subcommittees:

  • Member Engagement Subcommittee
  • Public Policy and Advocacy Education Subcommittee
  • Public Policy and Advocacy CPH Newsletter Subcommittee
  • Public Policy and Advocacy Communications/Social Media Subcommittee 

Publications Committee

This committee anticipates and responds to the changing professional needs of members by providing ideas and making recommendations for innovative publications and The Publications Committee anticipates and responds to the changing professional needs of members by providing ideas and making recommendations for innovative publications and products. The committee is interprofessional. Committee members ideally should have a broad knowledge of the nutrition support field and an interest in staying abreast of the latest research and practice developments impacting ASPEN members. They should also be committed to professional development and in exploring ways to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice through the products and tools being developed for our members. This committee meets virtually on a bimonthly schedule via video conferencing. Committee members are expected to actively participate in a majority of committee meetings throughout the volunteer year.

Specific Activities:

  • Assessing publications currently offered by ASPEN and those under development
  • Support the effective transition of content into the digital learning environment
  • Suggest new non-ASPEN titles related to the field of clinical nutrition and volunteer to review them for considered inclusion in the ASPEN bookstore

Research Committee

ASPEN’s Research Committee oversees the research program for ASPEN.  This committee is interprofessional. The committee meets remotely/virtually throughout the year in addition to conducting business electronically. The committee also meets in person during the ASPEN annual conference to determine the winners of the Promising Investigator and Vars Awards. Committee members should have experience in either clinical or basic science research.

Specific Activities:

  • Research Promotion: Develop tools and resources to encourage others to engage in nutrition research.
  • Research Awards: Determine the recipients of ASPEN’s Promising Investigator and Vars Award through the evaluation of written manuscripts and oral presentations at the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference.
  • Vars Manuscripts:  Serve as a formal JPEN reviewer for the submitted Vars Candidate Manuscripts, if requested.
  • Work with other ASPEN committees to identify research gaps in the field and strategize on how to move the field forward.
  • Research Agenda:  As requested, participate in the development and/or review of ASPEN’s research agenda.

Self-Assessment Committee

The Self-Assessment Committee is responsible for the overall review, update, and maintenance of the content included in ASPEN’s Self-Assessment Program.  This committee is interprofessional. The committee meets remotely/virtually throughout the year in addition to conducting business electronically. Committee members can expect to do one to two hours of independent work every few months in addition to the scheduled meetings. This is an ideal committee for professionals in all stages of their career who are interested in providing nutrition education to other professionals.  Members of this committee are comfortable utilizing a wealth of resources, including reference books and journal articles, to ensure accurate content is in the self-assessment program. In compliance with accreditation standards, industry representatives and employees cannot be appointed to this committee. The self-assessment program is considered a prep course for those preparing for certification exams, therefore members of this committee cannot be involved in any type of certification exam committees.

Specific Activities:

  • Learn the fundamentals of item/question writing and apply those to committee work.
  • Review and update current items/questions, rationale and references included in the various modules in the Self-Assessment Program.
  • Develop new items/questions with accompanying rationale and references for inclusion in Self-Assessment Program modules.