Professor Caryl Nowson is Emeritus Professor of Nutrition at Deakin University and one of Australia's leading nutrition scientists. A qualified dietitian, her career has focused on advancing research, public health policy and nutrition education in healthy ageing, cardiovascular nutrition, vitamin D and population salt reduction. Her landmark community-based dietary intervention studies helped establish the role of dietary change in reducing cardiovascular risk, while her later work has informed nutrition policy and translated research into practice. She has also been a leader in embedding nutrition education into medical training to strengthen the nutrition knowledge and skills of future doctors. Professor Nowson is a Fellow of the Nutrition Society of Australia and will reflect on the evolution of human nutrition over the past 50 years and the Society's contribution to the field.