Rate My Professor Tracy Perry

Associate Professor Tracy Perry serves as Manutaki Tuarua Māori and Associate Dean Māori for the Division of Sciences at the University of Otago. A New Zealand Registered Dietitian (NZRD) with a PhD, she was most recently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Human Nutrition. Affiliated with Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Uepohatu, Waikato, and Ngāti Wairere, Perry is a Principal Investigator in Te Koronga, the Indigenous Science Research Theme focused on Māori research excellence and aspirations of Māori communities, and a member of Te Poutama Māori. She is committed to implementing the Māori Strategic Framework and Vision Mātauranga in Sciences by working alongside colleagues to excel in strategic goals including Ngā Whakahaerenga Pai for quality programmes and teaching, Te Rangahau Māori for research, Te Taumata Angitū for Māori student success, and Te whakapakaritanga o ngā kaimahi Māori for Māori staff growth and development. Perry co-convenes Te Ngaru Paewhenua: The Landward Wave Science Scholarships and the Riddet Institute & University of Otago Science Summer Scholarships to support undergraduate Māori and Pacific students in science research projects and encourage future postgraduate study and research. She works closely with the Kaiārahi Sciences and the Kaiāwhina network to support student aspirations and achievement in Sciences, and with the Kaituitui Wānanga in marae-based outreach programmes to Māori communities within Aotearoa.

Tracy Perry's research specializations include postprandial metabolic responses, sedentary behaviour, physical activity interventions such as regular activity breaks, glycemic and insulinemic responses to foods, wholegrain particle size effects on glycaemia, energy drink consumption in extreme sports, and vitamin D supplementation in athletes. She has authored or co-authored 43 publications with 1,898 citations, including "Breaking prolonged sitting reduces postprandial glycemia in healthy, normal-weight adults: A randomized crossover trial" (2013), "Wholegrain Particle Size Influences Postprandial Glycemia in People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Crossover Trial" (2020), "Effect of Wholegrain Flour Particle Size in Bread on Glycaemic Response in Healthy Adults: A Randomised Crossover Trial" (2021), "Gelatinisation and milling whole-wheat increases postprandial blood glucose: randomised crossover study of adults with type 2 diabetes" (2021), and "Factors Influencing Energy Drink Consumption in Participants and Viewers of Extreme Sports" (2020). Previously associated with Glycaemic Otago for glycemic index determination, her work has advanced understanding of nutritional impacts on metabolic health.