The ASPEN Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Gil Hardy, PhD, FRSC, FASPEN, has been selected to receive the 2025 ASPEN Champion Award for his significant and sustained contributions to the association.
Dr. Hardy is an emeritus professor of clinical nutrition at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand. He will receive the Champion Award at the ASPEN 2025 Nutrition Science & Practice Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Worldwide Influencer
“Throughout his long and illustrious career, Dr. Hardy has been one of the most influential leaders in clinical nutrition and its very strong advocate on a global level,” said ASPEN President Dr. Ajay Jain, MD, DNB, MHA. “He has inspired and mentored researchers and clinicians on five continents, developed guidelines and advisory reports for professional societies and regulatory agencies around the world, and conducted research that has improved patient care everywhere.”
Decades of Service
Dr. Hardy has been associated with ASPEN since he crossed the Atlantic in 1977 to attend the first ASPEN congress. Since then, he has served on the Research, Membership, Awards, Publication Review, and FASPEN Awards committees.
Dr. Hardy founded and was the first chairman of ASPEN’s International Clinical Nutrition Section, served on the Board of Directors, and represented ASPEN on the International Human Rights for Clinical Nutrition working group. He has provided leadership as vice president of AuSPEN and a board member of the West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN).
He is also a founder and life member of the British Pharmaceutical Nutrition Group and has been an active member of the European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) since its inception.
Dr. Hardy has earned acclaim and recognition worldwide. In 2014, he was presented with ASPEN's Distinguished International Nutrition Support Specialist Award for his international presence, commitment to multidisciplinary clinical collaboration, and many contributions to advancing clinical nutrition. The following year, he was named an ASPEN Fellow.
Steeped in Experience
Born in the UK, Dr. Hardy received his BSc in chemistry from the Bristol College of Science and Technology and his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Bath. He conducted research in the Metabolic Research Laboratory of Nobel Prize Winner Professor Sir Hans Krebs at the University of Oxford.
Working with colleagues at Baxter Labs and St. Marks Hospital, London, Dr. Hardy developed the first disposable 3-liter parenteral nutrition bag for patients with intestinal failure.
Dr. Hardy’s extensive research on lipids, glutamine, micronutrients, and, most recently, chyme reinfusion therapy has resulted in more than 250 publications. He is a sought-after guest lecturer, and his international reputation in pharmaceutical and clinical nutrition has earned him awards and honorary fellowships from Asia, Australasia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
Educator and Mentor
Dr. Hardy was a professor of pharmaceutical nutrition at Oxford Brookes University in the UK for 5 years and later at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. He was also a professor of clinical nutrition at Massey University, where he helped establish a new research-focused master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics.
“Dr. Hardy’s track record in basic and clinical research is impressive, but his exceptional commitment to education truly sets him apart. His research excellence and highly rated performance in teaching and academic service make him a true champion,” said William Manzanares, MD, PhD, professor of critical care medicine at the Universidad de la República (UdelaR) Montevideo, Uruguay.
“Professor Hardy’s influence extends far beyond the research lab. He encourages clinicians like myself to become future leaders in complex clinical nutrition. He not only offers technical expertise and in-depth knowledge but also shows a genuine commitment to the personal and professional growth of his mentees. I know that many others who have worked with him feel similarly,” said Advanced Clinical Dietitian Yizhou Andrew Xia, MSc, NZRD, Advanced Clinical Dietitian, Health New Zealand.
Shake His Hand
Dr. Hardy is admired worldwide for his enthusiasm, knowledge, and expertise in clinical nutrition, particularly in parenteral nutrition and micronutrients. Please take the opportunity to congratulate and thank him for his service to ASPEN and the many ways he helped advance clinical nutrition. In New Zealand, the Maori would say, “ngā mihi.”