Jeff Rothschild
Performance Nutritionist, High Performance Sport New Zealand
Doctor of Philosophy
He thoroughly enjoys his role as a performance nutritionist at High Performance Sport New Zealand, says Dr Jeff Rothschild who came to AUT to study a PhD.
“I’ve been a sports dietitian since 2014, providing nutrition consultation to individual athletes as well as teams, including professional athletes, and members of national and Olympic teams. Applied data science is integral to my current practice as a sports dietitian and researcher, and I particularly love using unconventional or underutilised sources of data to uncover actionable insights.
“In my career so far, I’ve designed, conducted and published more than 20 original research studies in peer-reviewed journals, and have translated the findings into practical application for coaches and athletes. I apply the knowledge I’ve gained from my PhD with the athletes I work with every day in my work.”
Choosing AUT
Jeff came to AUT as an international student from the US and says choosing to do his PhD here was an easy decision.
“When I had decided to take on doctoral study, AUT and specifically the AUT Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) felt like a great fit for my research interests. I wanted to study somewhere with a great reputation in the field of sports science, and what I enjoyed most about studying at SPRINZ was that there was a great group of people conducting world-class research, which makes it a great place to be. I liked the flexibility my PhD offered and the freedom I had to learn and explore areas relevant to my research.”
For his PhD, he focused on pre-exercise nutritional intake, supervised by Dr Dan Plews and Professor Andrew Kilding from AUT’s School of Sport and Recreation.
“I chose this research topic because this is an area with many important questions that so far had remained unanswered for athletes, coaches and nutritionists.”
Advice for other students
Jeff, who completed his PhD in 2023, has some great advice for other students who are considering doctoral study in sport and recreation.
“SPRINZ offers a fantastic opportunity to be a part of a world-class team working in a world-class facility. If you come in with a desire to learn and a passion for your subject of interest, it can be a great fit.”
He wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the programme to others.
“There’s a lot of flexibility for someone who is motivated and passionate about what they’re doing. I’d definitely recommend this programme, especially for people who have an idea of what they’d like to study and research.”
