We are very pleased to announce and feature the 2023 class of Food Systems Research Center (FSRC) PhD Fellows. Harnessing the successful momentum of this funding opportunity’s inaugural year in 2022, these talented PhD students will begin or will continue their impactful research into different and diverse elements of Vermont and international food systems. The diversity in Ph.D. programs of this year’s 2023 awardees reflects the transdisciplinary research approach the FRSC prioritizes, including students studying food systems topics from agriculture through human nutrition.
Massi Khodaverdi (she/her)
Massi Khodaverdi, from Tehran, Iran, is a PhD candidate in ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Plant Biology Department. After completing an undergraduate degree in Plant Science, she moved to the United States in 2017 to continue her education, obtaining a Master’s degree in Plant Science and Biotechnology from Syracuse University. Upon joining ¶¶Òõ̽̽ in 2020, Massi began working in Professor Jill Preston’s research lab in ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Department of Plant Biology. Considering climate change's present and future impacts on local and global food systems, her research focuses on understanding how temperature affects specific model grass species at the cellular level.
Driven by a passionate interest in plant biology and a long-standing desire to positively impact the environment, food systems, and her community, Massi intends to apply insights gained from her research between model grass species and temperature to the closely related but more genetically complex cereal crops like wheat and barley. Understanding the candidate genes responsible for plant performance in different temperatures could be used to improve the resilience of cereal crops against climate and environmental changes. She is hopeful that the research results will provide important insights that benefit global and local food systems in Vermont.
Outside of her research, Massi enjoys spending time outdoors and connecting with nature. She is an enthusiastic world traveler, jumping at most chances to experience different cultures and learn about other places and people.
Bailey Kretzler (she/her)
Originally from St. Charles, Missouri, Bailey Kretzler is a current PhD candidate in ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Plant and Soil Science Department, working with Professor Eric von Wettberg. She studied Plant Science throughout her prior academic career, obtaining her undergraduate degree with an emphasis in plant breeding and biotechnology from the University of Missouri Columbia and her MSc from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom.
Bailey now works at ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Consortium for Crop Genetic Heritage lab studying the plant, soil, and microbe interactions of the Three Sisters polyculture cropping system. Her research focuses on understanding how these below-ground interactions are scaling up to impact the crops’ productivity, quality, nutrition, and resilience against the impacts of climate change. Motivated by her fascination with these complex interactions and a deep desire to positively impact the communities she works with, Bailey centers her research perspective around participatory engagement and community outreach. She hopes that through her research and engagement efforts, communities will feel empowered to feed themselves in ways that work best for them.
In her free time, Bailey likes to hike, garden, forage, and hula hoop. She is also an avid recreational reader who enjoys the genres of fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction.
Kacey LaBonte (she/her)
Kacey LaBonte, originally from Colchester, Vermont, will be starting her PhD program in Food Systems in the fall of 2023 at ¶¶Òõ̽̽. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Colby College, majoring in Global Studies with concentrations in sustainable food systems and public health, and a minor in Religious Studies. She just recently completed her Master’s program in Public Health and Nutrition from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. At ¶¶Òõ̽̽, Kacey will be working with Extension Professor Lisa Chase and Associate Professor Gillian Galford from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.
Inspired to continue her study of food systems through a culmination of lifelong personal, professional, and academic experiences, Kacey highlighted the early impact and influence that spending time with her mother as a child in their family garden had on her interest in the field. Kacey’s diverse professional experiences, including an AmeriCorps tour working at Salvation Farms in Morrisville, VT, and graduate research on food accessibility and affordability in predominantly black and low-income neighborhoods in New Orleans, shape her intended food systems study focus moving forward. At ¶¶Òõ̽̽, Kacey plans to focus her PhD research around understanding the interactions between the intersections of crisis, climate change, and food system resilience. As a born and raised Vermonter, Kacey is excited to apply her skills and passion in her continued studies to contribute to the progression of effective food system solutions for her home state.
Outside of her studies, Kacey loves to read, cook, bake, and spend time with her two dogs Finn and Bear. She likes to spend as much time outside as she can and is excited to be back in Vermont around the mountains and Lake Champlain, which she has dearly missed.
Hannah Lacasse (she/her)
From Rockland, Maine, Hannah Lacasse is a current Sustainable Development Policy, Economics, and Governance (SDPEG) PhD candidate at ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, where she works with Professor Jane Kolodinsky. She received her BA in Environmental Policy from Colby College in Maine and completed her MS here at ¶¶Òõ̽̽.
National and state policy changes within the last few years have loosened prohibitions on hemp crops, creating new opportunities of interest to Vermont and national farmers alike. Drawn to the study of food systems issues by her interest in them and prior experience in nonprofit work within the field of environmental consumer protection, Hannah’s research focuses on consumers’ perceptions of hemp. More specifically, Hannah’s research attempts to understand consumers’ perceptions of different hemp products, the attributes they associate with them, and to what extent state and national policy changes have influenced those perceptions. The hemp industry is a newly emerging market with potential benefits to both consumers and producers of the crop. Through her research, Hannah hopes to provide key insights into this new industry, potentially benefiting crop diversity within food systems.
Outside of her research, Hannah enjoys gardening, knitting, and cooking. She attempts to be outside as much as possible, spending time with friends and her dog Finn.
Michelle Nikfarjam (she/her)
MMichelle Nikfarjam grew up in the rolling hills and forests of central Massachusetts. She is a current PhD student at ¶¶Òõ̽̽, studying Food Systems, and a graduate fellow of ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Gund Institute for the Environment and the Institute for Agroecology. Michelle completed a B.S. in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts and obtained her M.A. in International Studies from the University of Oregon.
Inspired by her early academic coursework in plant and soil science and direct community engagement in food justice work, Michelle found herself drawn to the field of food systems, centering her studies on agroforestry. Her current research, mentored by Associate Professor of Anthropology, Teresa Mares, focuses on understanding the complex nexus of interactions between agriculture and conservation and how that nexus might influence farmers’ decisions, specifically underrepresented farmers, around their usage and planting of trees. Michelle hopes her work provides important insights into how researchers can help support farmers to engage more with perennial crops and trees, considering their dynamic role within food systems.
In her free time, Michelle enjoys biking and gravel biking, exploring the many available trails Vermont has to offer. She also enjoys cooking meals for her friends, yoga, swimming, and reading.
Patrick Shafer (he/him)
Patrick Shafer, originally from the greater Philadelphia area, will be starting his PhD in Food Systems at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ in the fall of 2023. He obtained his undergraduate degree in advertising from Temple University in Philadelphia. After graduating, Patrick discovered a love for cooking while working in restaurants and bakeries. His work and newfound passion influenced his decision to apply and complete an MS in Food Systems at ¶¶Òõ̽̽.
Patrick’s research in his MS program explored the potential roles that edible insects could play in the development of sustainable and circular food systems. Edible insects are a familiar part of many current and historical food systems around the world but are, however, unfamiliar to Western audiences. Patrick’s previous work utilized food waste from ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s dining services to grow mealworms. He eventually conducted preliminary experiments with ¶¶Òõ̽̽ students investigating their perceptions and willingness to consume edible insects as part of their diet. For his PhD research, Patrick plans to merge aspects of his background studying advertising with his prior work studying edible insects to investigate the social feasibility and culinary implications of using different pre-consumer food waste to influence mealworm characteristics of taste, nutrition, and baking quality. Patrick hopes his research might help Western audiences recognize the potential benefits of edible insect consumption, potentially leading to the development of more sustainable, localized, and circular food systems. Patrick will be working with Teresa Mares and Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Yolanda Chen.
Outside of his research, Patrick is a farm manager in the Intervale. He enjoys spending time outdoors, biking, and cooking.
Victoria Taormina (she/her)
Raised in New Jersey, Victoria Taormina is a current PhD candidate in ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Animal Biosciences program where she is working with Associate Professor of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Jana Kraft. She obtained her B.S. from ¶¶Òõ̽̽ in Dietetics, Nutrition, and Food Science, graduating in 2019, and then immediately transitioned into her PhD program. As the first in her family to do a research-based PhD, participating in this program has additional significance and provides additional motivation. From her hard work throughout the program and eventual completion, Victoria strives to set a positive example for her younger family members of what they can also accomplish.
Inspired at a young age to study nutrition, Victoria remembers being influenced by middle and high school nutrition classes and national programs like Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign. These experiences, coupled with her continued education, solidified the power and importance that food and nutrition have within our food systems. Victoria’s research focuses on dairy fat and human health. Recent research within the field has suggested that full-fat dairy products may not be as detrimental to human health as previously thought and may even provide some beneficial effects. Victoria’s research attempts to further explore those claims by working together with other ¶¶Òõ̽̽ researchers to conduct a randomized clinical trial, asking participants to either undergo a diet with full-fat yogurt or with non-fat yogurt. Researchers will then analyze the data and look to see if there are any changes in the participants’ glucose homeostasis, inflammatory markers, and/or gut microbiome. Relevant to Vermont as a very dairy prevalent state, Victoria hopes her research provides additional clarity to the overall literature and relationship surrounding dairy fat and human health for both consumers and producers.
In her free time, Victoria likes being surrounded by nature and tries to spend as much time outside as possible. She enjoys hiking, walking trails, and biking around Burlington.
About the Food Systems Research Center
The Food Systems Research Center (FSRC) at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ uncovers solutions to society’s most pressing issues through the lens of our food system to improve human health, well-being and livelihoods, and environmental sustainability. The Research Center is a partnership between ¶¶Òõ̽̽ and USDA and focuses on the Northeast U.S. but considers the relationship of food systems across scales from local to global. With over 100 funded faculty, staff, and student collaborators in Vermont and across the world, the Research Center conducts interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research to study food systems: the networks of people, institutions, physical infrastructure, and natural resources through which food is grown, processed, distributed, sold, prepared, and eaten.
