Wilson’s research focuses on preventing and managing lifestyle-related chronic diseases that account for many of the leading causes of death in the United States, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and cancer. She studies how evidence-based interventions can be adapted and sustained in community settings, with particular attention to reducing the research-to-practice gap that often affects rural and underserved populations most. Her work explores how Cooperative Extension, community organizations and health professionals can work together to improve access to effective nutrition and health programs.

Wilson’s scholarship also includes research examining diet quality and health outcomes among stroke survivors and other populations at elevated risk for chronic disease. She collaborates with researchers, Extension professionals and community partners to develop practical, science-based strategies that improve health outcomes and advance Clemson’s land-grant mission of serving South Carolina communities.

Wilson joined Clemson University in 2024 after earning her doctorate in foods and nutrition from the University of Georgia, where she studied the implementation and health outcomes of the National Diabetes Prevention Program in Cooperative Extension settings. She also completed a community nutrition-focused dietetic internship at the University of Georgia and earned a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and food science from Georgia Southern University. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, she combines expertise in nutrition, public health and implementation science to address some of the nation’s most pressing health challenges.