Meet Dr. Eric Ciappio, senior manager of nutrition science for Balchem Human Nutrition and Health, and Friedman School alumni.
Storytelling, Science, and the Friedman Effect: Eric’s Career in Nutrition Science
When Dr. Eric Ciappio arrived at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, he already knew the dietary supplement industry was where he wanted to make his mark. What he didn’t expect was how deeply his time at Tufts would shape his scientific approach and worldview on the connection between nutrition and policy.
Before attending the Friedman School, Eric had completed his undergraduate degree in nutrition science and worked at a dietary supplement manufacturer during his dietetic internship. Three things happened to him during that internship:
1. He fell in love with the industry;
2. He realized his path required more education; and
3. He was introduced to the Friedman School.
“I wanted to gain greater knowledge on how micronutrients impacted health,” says Eric. Adding that he “yearned to meet the leading experts in the field who could showcase their research first-hand.”
“During my internship I was fortunate to interact with several faculty members from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. I was so amazed by the work they were doing and found each of them to be very personable,” he says.
“I also noticed that several leaders I admired across the food and supplement industries were Tufts alumni.”
For these reasons, Eric says his decision to attend the Friedman School “was obvious.”
At Friedman, Eric studied biochemical and molecular nutrition. He was mentored by esteemed faculty member Dr. Joel Mason, a professor at the Friedman School and at Tufts University School of Medicine.
“Dr. Mason taught me that science isn’t just about techniques—it’s about storytelling. His focus on the story you're trying to tell is an aspect of science that sometimes gets overshadowed by the latest lab technique or gadget, but is arguably the most important skill a scientist can learn. That changed how I approach everything in my work today,” says Eric.
Storytelling, in Eric’s case, means transforming complex nutrition science into insights that inform both regulatory conversations and product innovation. Today, in his role as a senior manager of nutrition science for Balchem Human Nutrition and Health, Eric works at the intersection of science and policy. On a daily basis, he sees firsthand how federal regulations shape the way nutrition is communicated across the industry.
“I didn’t fully appreciate the relationship between nutrition science and policy until after the Friedman School. Now, it’s the lens I use most,” he says.
Equally transformative was the Friedman School community.
“The most impactful moment of the school was probably my first day, where I met the other incoming students in the biochemical and molecular nutrition program,” says Eric. It was then that Eric connected to a cohort of peers who became lifelong friends and collaborators—some of whom he continues to work with today.
Now Eric and his peers are senior leaders in food, nutrition, and dietary supplement industries—just the type of mentors who once inspired Eric. It all started at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy School at Tufts.