Dr. Ziegler is a behavioral scientist with interdisciplinary training in biochemistry, nursing, public health, and health behavior. Her research focuses on adolescent health, eating behaviors and autonomy, aiming to reduce chronic disease risk—particularly obesity and type 2 diabetes—through youth-centered, developmentally informed studies and interventions. Dr. Ziegler is leading eating behavior research at the intersection of adolescent development, parental/school involvement, and clinical health outcomes, including school-based food literacy programs and observational research evaluating dietary patterns and adolescent eating autonomy. Her work integrates ecological momentary assessment, clinical bio-measures, qualitative methods, and community-engaged approaches, with sustained collaboration from teen advisory boards to ensure inclusiveness and relevance. She is committed to translating evidence-based interventions into clinical practice, fostering interdisciplinary partnerships that improve youth and family health, and to mentoring our next generation of research and health professionals.