Kelly D. Brownell

Kelly David Brownell (born 1951) is an American scientist, professor, and internationally renowned expert on obesity. Kelly Brownell is Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, and is a professor of public policy. He also serves on the board of directors of the Duke Global Health Institute. Before coming to Duke, Brownell was Director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, where he was also Professor of Psychology and Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health. His research deals primarily with obesity and the intersection of behavior, environment, and health with public policy. He was named in 2006 as one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People" by Time magazine.

Personal background

Brownell was born in 1951 and was raised in Indiana. His undergraduate work was at Purdue University, followed by a PhD in clinical psychology from Rutgers University in 1977, advised by G. Terence Wilson with thesis titled The effect of spouse training and partner cooperativeness in the behavioral treatment of obesity, and additional training at Brown University.