Nate Willis is a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a research assistant in the Neurocognitive Health Behaviors Laboratory under the tutelage of Dr. Naiman Khan, he is investigating the impact of nutritional intake on cognitive functioning with a specific focus on water intake and hydration status. His research on the relationships between hydration markers, gut microbiota and inflammation won the ECRA in 2022 and he is currently collecting data for his dissertation project investigating the impact of a water intake intervention on the gut microbiota, markers of gastrointestinal inflammation, and cognitive functioning in adults. Nate hopes to continue working in hydration science after his expected graduation in the Spring of 2023.