Dr Christian Reynolds is a Senior Lecturer in Food Policy at City, University of London. He has worked for universities and NGOs researching food loss and waste, and sustainable diets. He also provides reviews and evidence assessment of food and sustainability policy areas for UK government departments.
Discovering Nutrition and Food Policy
I come from a family of cooks, people who love food, and would discuss recipes at the dinner table. However, it was only when I got to university that I realised that you could study Food and Nutrition as an academic subject! I love the way that food can be a way to engage with many issues in our society, and if we get our food system right, it can help solve other global challenges.
Academia
I studied a double degree in Economics and International Studies at the University of Adelaide, Australia. In my final undergraduate year I took a course called ‘The anthropology of Food’, it made me realise I could apply all the knowledge and skills from my degrees to a subject that I loved: food. This eventually led to me completing a PhD where I studied the environmental impacts of food waste in Australia, and how different parts of the food system can help each other to reduce food waste.
Over the last decade, I have worked for universities and NGOs researching food loss and waste, and sustainable diets. This has led to many collaborations in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, the UK, US, and throughout Europe. I love working as a university lecturer as I get the chance to engage with students and help solve global challenges such as climate change.
Research specialisms
My main research areas are measuring healthy sustainable diets, as well as food loss and waste. To research these areas I use a variety of interdisciplinary methods. My main research projects look at modelling the economic, environmental, health, and social impacts of 1) technological innovations, and 2) behaviour change campaigns (related to shopping, cooking, and food waste). I also provide reviews and evidence assessment of food and sustainability policy areas for UK government departments such as the Food Standards Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Lecturing at City
I am currently leading and teaching the module FPM002 the Political Economy of Food, on the Masters of Food Policy. I love teaching this course as it answers the big questions on the politics and power behind the food system.
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