Gary Beauchamp

Who is Gary Beauchamp?

Dr. Gary K. Beauchamp has been Director and President of the Monell Chemical Senses Center since 1990.

Dr. Beauchamp graduated from Carleton College in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He received his Ph.D. in biopsychology in 1971 from The Pritzker School of Medicine of the University of Chicago. He joined the newly established Monell Center as a postdoctoral fellow in 1971, was appointed to the faculty in 1973, and attained the rank of Member in 1981.

Dr. Beauchamp maintains an active research program at Monell, exploring varied topics related to taste, olfaction, and chemesthesis. Trained as a psychobiologist, his research has contributed to advancements in the fields of developmental psychology, physiological psychology, and perception; he also has made important contributions to the fields of genetics, developmental biology, immunobiology, ethology, and molecular biology.

Considered one of the world’s leading experts on chemosensory science, Dr. Beauchamp serves as a scientific advisor to numerous governmental and private organizations, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Institute of Medicine.

In 2009–2010 Dr. Beauchamp served on the Institute of Medicine Committee on Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States, and after the release of the committee's report, spoke widely about its recommendations.