The Food Systems Research Center is excited to announce that it has awarded funding to four ¶¶Òõ̽̽ faculty members to hire postdoctoral fellows to study critical issues in food systems research. The faculty recipients of these awards are Colin Anderson, Gillian Galford, Meredith Niles, and Lizzy Pope.
These new positions will support robust and diverse food systems research that addresses four FSRC priorities: resilience to climate shocks; food choices and dietary guidelines, norms and approaches; food policy and governance for regional food systems sustainability and nutritional security; and increasing the availability of productive land while considering local and regional goals. Each postdoc will participate in the upcoming FSRC Leadership Academy to develop their skills as food systems researchers.
The Regional Governance of Food Systems in New England
Colin Anderson, Associate Director of the Institute for Agroecology (IfA) and Associate Research Professor in the Plant and Soil Department, will hire a postdoc to investigate the regional governance of food systems in New England, focusing on the Right to Food and Agroecology frameworks. They work with IfA and , a partnership that could lead to tangible outcomes in regional food system. The postdoc will join the first cohort of IfA’s global agroecology leadership program. The deadline to apply is on July 8, 2024; more information can be found on the Institute for Agroecology website.
Land Use Transitions to Optimize Agricultural Production Across Landscapes
Gillian Galford, Research Associate Professor in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, has hired who earned her PhD in Ecology from The University of BrasÃlia. Rodrigues will work with Galford and Professor Brendan Fisher to explore strategies for maximizing agricultural production in unprotected landscapes while preserving ecological integrity, focusing on Vermont and Brazil's Cerrado. This research will also inform the Sustainabiltiy Starts with Soil and Consumer-Facing Agriculture projects, part of the FSRC’s collaborative research initiative.
Home and Wild Food Procurement as a Means for Regional Sufficiency, Resilience and Food Security
Meredith Niles, Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, will hire a postdoc to build upon her research on home and wild food procurement (HWFP) in New England. She led a ¶¶Òõ̽̽/UMaine team that recently published a study on rural New Englanders use of home and wild food procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on food security. The postdoc will investigate the role of HWFP in regional food systems, its potential for climate resilience, and policy recommendations for enhancing food access and security. When the position is posted, it will be found on .
Weight Inclusive Nutrition in Educational Settings
Lizzy Pope, Associate Professor in Nutrition and Food Sciences Department and Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics, has been awarded a postdoctoral fellow to work in her (WIN) research group. The WIN research group addresses nutrition questions using the framework of weight inclusivity. The postdoctoral fellow will extend the group's particularly in development of health education curricula in middle school and college athletics. The position is currently accepting applications on the .
About the FSRC:
The ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Food Systems Research Center (FSRC) is the first USDA-funded research center to study the interconnectedness of all parts of a regional food system, from farm practices to food access. They work to uncover solutions to pressing issues through the lens of food and farming. As pioneers in USDA-funded research, the FSRC is at the forefront of discovering how what’s on our plate affects our society and the planet.