Helen Neilson was born in 1914 in Quebec City. Ms. Neilson earned her B.H.Sc. from Macdonald College of McGill University in 1939 and her M.Sc. in 1948. From 1940 to 1942 she worked as Assistant Dietician in the Montreal Children’s Hospital. During the World War II, between 1942 and 1946, she served as a research nutritionist with the Royal Canadian Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine in Toronto and was awarded Member of British Empire. After a year spent researching the nutritional needs and problems with the airforce personnel operating in the Arctic from 1948 to 1949, Neilson joined the Staff of Macdonald College in 1949. She served as Director of the School of Household Science, subsequently called the School of Food Science, until 1975. Between 1956 and 1957 she spent one year in Thailand under the auspices of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization as a Home Economist. Neilson was a member of the University Senate from 1967 to 1970. From 1977 to 1978 she was employed as Principal Lecturer and Chairman of Life Management at Riverina College of Advanced Education in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales in Australia. In 1980 Helen Neilson was appointed to the rank of Emeritus Professor of Food Science. She has been the recipient of several honours and awards, and has been an active member of the Canadian Dietetic Association. As well as publishing scholarly papers, Ms. Neilson completed A book, Macdonald College of McGill University - 1907-1988.