Dr. Nelson is an Associate Professor with the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.  He works with the Alcohol Epidemiology Program, the Tobacco Policy Research Program, the Minnesota Population Center, the Minnesota Obesity Center, the Minnesota Child Welfare Research Collaborative, the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sports and the Minnesota Youth Sport Research Consortium. 

Dr. Nelson studies public policy, substance use, physical activity, obesity, motor vehicle safety and the health impacts of participation in organized sport. 

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Physical Education from Hamline University, a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and doctorate in Public Health from Harvard University.