Dr. Nichols utilizes advanced analytic methods and interdisciplinary approaches to evaluate the role of nutrition and health during the first 1,000 days of life to improve health and livelihood of mothers and children across the life course. Her doctoral work focused on prenatal clinical nutrition practices and national guideline efficacy to improve outcomes for mothers and children affected by high-risk pregnancies, particularly those with obesity or twin gestations. Currently, Dr. Nichols' postdoctoral research examines the effect of impaired fertility on longterm body composition and cardiometabolic health in a longitudinal cohort of parous individuals.

Nichols AR, Burns N, Xu F, Foster SF, Rickman R, Hedderson MM, Widen EM. Novel approaches to examining weight change in pregnancies affected by obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2023. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.03.001.

Foster SF, Vazquez C, Cubbin C, Nichols AR, Rickman RR, Widen EM. Breastfeeding, socioeconomic status, and long-term postpartum weight retention. Int Breastfeed J. 2023;18:1. doi: 10.1186/s13006-022-00534-0.

Widen EM, Burns N, Kahn LG, Grewal J, Backlund G, Nichols AR, Rickman R, Foster S, Nhan-Chang C-L, Zhang C, Wapner R, Wing DA, Owen J, Skupski DW, Ranzini AC, Newman R, Grobman W, Daniels MJ. Prenatal weight and regional body composition trajectories and neonatal body composition: The NICHD Foetal Growth Studies. Pediatr Obes. 2023;18:e12994. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.12994.

Rickman RR, Lane CE, Collins SM, Miller JD, Onono M, Wekesa P, Nichols AR, Foster SF, Shiau S, Young SL, Widen EM. Body Composition Trajectories During the First 23 Months of Life Differ by HIV Exposure Among Infants in Western Kenya: A Prospective Study. J Nutr. 2023;153:331–339. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.11.010.

Widen EM, Burns N, Daniels M, Backlund G, Nichols AR, Rickman R, Foster S, Hoepner LA, Kinsey EW, Ramirez-Carvey J, Hassoun A, Perera FP, Bukowski R, Rundle AG. Gestational weight change and childhood body composition trajectories from pregnancy to early adolescence. Obesity. 2022;30:707–717. doi: 10.1002/oby.23367.

Asim M, Ahmed ZH, Nichols AR, Rickman R, Neiterman E, Mahmood A, Widen EM. What stops us from eating: a qualitative investigation of dietary barriers during pregnancy in Punjab, Pakistan. Public Health Nutr. 2022;25:760–769. doi: 10.1017/S1368980021001737.

Nichols AR, Rundle AG, Factor-Litvak P, Insel BJ, Hoepner L, Rauh V, Perera F, Widen EM. Prepregnancy obesity is associated with lower psychomotor development scores in boys at age 3 in a low-income, minority birth cohort. J Dev Orig Health Dis. 2020;11:49–57. doi: 10.1017/S2040174419000412.

Widen EM, Nichols AR, Kahn LG, Factor-Litvak P, Insel BJ, Hoepner L, Dube SM, Rauh V, Perera F, Rundle A. Prepregnancy obesity is associated with cognitive outcomes in boys in a low-income, multiethnic birth cohort. BMC Pediatr. 2019;19:507. doi: 10.1186/s12887-019-1853-4

Graduate School Continuing Fellowship 2020-2021, The University of Texas at Austin

Jean Hankin Nutritional Epidemiology Research Grant, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation

Predoctoral Fellowship, American Society for Nutrition

Graduate Dean’s Prestigious Fellowship Supplement, The Graduate School, The University of Texas at Austin

Professional Development Award, Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin