Food Systems Initiative
Research
Food systems research at the University of Vermont spans a broad spectrum of topics, disciplines, and colleges. You'll be able to find innovative work on the working landscape, value-added foods, the health of our communities, and much more. Below you'll find a few eamples of current food research at UVM, and if you want more information on projects not show below, contact Alison Nihart at anihart@uvm.edu.
A Penny an Ounce for Health
Dr. Rachel Johnson and Dr. Jane Kolodinsky research the health and economic effects of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes. Watch a recording of their webinar from February, 2013.
Learn more about Dr. Johnson
Learn more about Dr. Kolodinsky
A Bovine Question or Two
Dr. John Barlow (Dept. of Animal Science) studies host‐pathogen interactions and the impact of infectious disease control interventions (e.g. vaccination and antimicrobial use) on cattle health. His work is motivated by practical concerns of the effects of dairy cattle health on food production systems.
Learn more about Dr. Barlow
Education in the Kitchen
Dr. Binta Colley (College of Education and Social Services) — among other subjects — examines the kitchenroom as a place where students can be conscientized to understand how the food in front of them is connected, not only to their taste buds, but also to the environment (globally), nourishment, health and all of the other disciplines. She examines when and how children can make that connection.
Learn more about Dr. Colley
Do they eat their veggies?
Dr. Rachel Johnson and Dr. Bethany Yon (Dept. of Nutrition and Food Science) are using a systems approach to develop a state‐of‐the‐art tool to measure how many fruits and vegetables children eat at school. They plan to use this tool to determine the effect of the new National School Nutrition Program regulations on children's consumption of these foods.
Learn more about Dr. Johnson and Dr. Yon
A Box of Chocolates
Dr. Rocki-Lee DeWitt (School of Business Administration) looks at how commercial enterprises within this system seek to distinguish their business from other businesses in a food context. For example, she studies the paper‐based packaging industry (e.g. the variety of boxes used for cereals and specialty chocolates).
Learn more about Dr. DeWitt
Syrupy Sweet Studies
As Director of the UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Dr. Timothy Perkins (Dept. of Plant Biology) and his team work with maple syrup producers to help them get the most out of their maple operations, to offer the best quality for consumers, and to help ensure that their harvest is sustainable in the long term.
Learn more about Dr. Perkins and the Maple Research Center
New Farms for New Americans Study
Dr. Pablo Bose (Dept. of Geography) — in collaboration with Alisha Laramee (New Farms for New Americans (NFNA) Program Coordinator) — is currently researching the NFNA program and what it suggests about resettlement, identity, acculturation and sustainable agricultural livelihoods in the context of evolving demographic shifts.
Learn more about Dr. Bose
Last modified March 15 2013 04:04 PM