Neal Malik

Dr. Neal Malik (Dr. Neal) has worked in higher education since 2007. He is currently an Associate Professor within the Department of Health Science and Human Ecology. Prior to his current position, he has served as Department Chair and Assistant Professor within the Department of Nutrition and Basic Sciences at Bastyr University California. His roles have also included serving as the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Occupational Wellness Specialist for the University of California, Riverside, and as a Lifestyle Educator at Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Neal has also held adjunct teaching positions at Crafton Hills College and California State University, Fullerton.

As an instructor, Dr. Neal is involved in numerous pedagogical seminars and trainings, as both a presenter and attendee. He has led seminars for faculty addressing best teaching practices. Some of these topics have included: "Inclusive Practices in Pedagogy", "Fostering Students’ Sense of Safety, Belonging, and Community in Your Classroom", and "From Good to Great: Great Teaching Can Be Learned". 

As a scholar, Dr. Neal's research areas include adult and adolescent weight management, health behaviors among college students, and appetitive hormones. He also serves on numerous editorial boards. He was also nominated by a peer to be featured in the 2022-2023 edition of Who's Who in America due to his dedication to teaching, scholarship, and service. He most recently presented at the XIV Brazilian Congress on Physical Activity and Health on the topic of childhood obesity.

In the media, Dr. Neal has been featured as a nutrition and wellness expert in over 70 media outlets including CBS local radio in Los Angeles, CA, as well as a number of online and print publications including eHow.com and Men’s Fitness Magazine. He hosts a free, daily health education podcast for the public titled, Optimal Health Daily which averages over 700,000 monthly plays (175,000 downloads each week) and has been downloaded over 30 million times. On August 8, 2019, Prevention Magazine ranked the show as one of “25 Fascinating Health and Fitness Podcasts to Get Obsessed With in 2020” and ShapeScale.com included his podcast on their list of, “25 Of the Best Fitness Podcasts of 2020”. According to Listen Notes, the podcast ranks in the top 0.5% of global podcasts (https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/optimal-health-daily-dr-neal-malik-optimal-xltjqo7K-zN/). On April 3, 2020, Dr. Neal was quoted in the Los Angeles Times for his expertise on stress management during the COVID-19 pandemic.