Faculty

Marie Spiker

Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Env. and Occ. Health Sciences

206-685-3645

Education

PhD Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins University, 2019
RDN Johns Hopkins University, 2014
BS Public Health, University of Washington, 2011
BA Anthropology, University of Washington, 2011

Contact

206-685-3645

Box 353410
Nutritional Sciences Program
Raitt Hall
Seattle, WA 98195
View Website »

Bio

Dr. Marie Spiker is a registered dietitian and social scientist who conducts research at the intersection of public health nutrition and food systems. Dr. Spiker uses mixed methods research and systems science to study food security and its upstream determinants, food systems governance, food systems infrastructure, food loss and waste, and value chains for nutrition. Her work also explores how decision-makers throughout the food system—including food producers, consumers, health professionals, and communicators—navigate complexity and tradeoffs. Her professional practice experience includes municipal food policy and capacity building within the profession of nutrition and dietetics. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses that prepare students to join an evolving food systems workforce.

Research Areas

Research Interests

Safe Food, Sustainable Communities, Community-engaged Research, Health Equity, Nutrition, Policy

Recent Publications (PubMed)

Association between early-pandemic food assistance use and subsequent food security trajectories among households in Washington State during the first three years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2025)
PLoS One 20(5): e0321585
Buszkiewicz JH, Tseng AS, Dai J, Ismach A, Beese S, Collier SM, Spiker ML, Otten JJ
The intersection of systems thinking and structural empowerment in the work of public health dietitians.
(2024 Dec)
J Hum Nutr Diet 37(6): 1475-1485
Tagtow AM, Welter C, Seweryn S, Spiker ML, Lange J, Asada Y
Enhancing Adaptability: Exploring Structural Empowerment and Systems Thinking Among State Governmental Public Health Nutritionists.
(2025 Jan-Feb 01)
J Public Health Manag Pract 31(1): E20-E25
Tagtow AM, Welter CR, Seweryn S, Spiker ML, Lange J, McDonald J, Asada Y
Environmental Sustainability of Food Environments: Development and Application of a Framework in 4 cities in South Asia.
(2024 Jul)
Curr Dev Nutr 8(7): 103791
Bellows AL, Ganpule A, Raza A, Kapoor D, Musicus A, Spiker ML, Jaacks LM
When increasing vegetable production may worsen food availability gaps: A simulation model in India.
(2023 Apr)
Food Policy 116(): 102416
Spiker ML, Welling J, Hertenstein D, Mishra S, Mishra K, Hurley KM, Neff RA, Fanzo J, Lee BY
Show complete publication list