Global Food+ Symposium 2026

About

Welcome to the sixth annual Global Food+ Symposium on April 10th, hosted this year at Boston College! Building on the momentum of our previous gatherings across the city, this 2026 event continues our mission to unite the brightest minds in the Boston area to tackle the most pressing challenges in global agriculture, food systems, and nutrition.

April 10th, 2026 12:30-5 PM - Hosted at Boston College Walsh Hall听131听Function Room, reception to follow at 5-6 PM

What to Expect

Whether the research is rooted in archaeology, biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, nursing, physics, psychology, theology, or any other discipline, each presentation follows a concise seven-minute structure covering Motivation, Method, Results, and Implications. Each presentation will be recorded (for presenters who opt in), but not livestreamed.听

  • Diverse Perspectives:听Explore research across agriculture, environmental sustainability, nutrition, health, and related fields.
  • Rapid-Fire Insights: Catch the "greatest hits" of Boston-area research in a single afternoon.
  • Meaningful Connection: Transition from intense learning to active networking during our breaks and closing reception.听

Organizers

This year's organizing committee consists of:

  • (BU Food Studies)
  • 听(Tufts Nutrition)
  • 听(Harvard Kennedy)
  • 听(天美传媒app Economics)
  • (MIT Water and Food Systems Lab)

Program

SESSION 1: 12:30-1:50pm

PresenterTitle
Diet Quality During Drought: Evidence from Tanzania (Slides)
Planning Food Systems at the Regional Level (Slides)
How Ultra-Processed Foods Shape U.S. Diets (Slides)
Trends in the Livestock Industry (Slides)
Climate Shocks and Household Consumption in Mozambique (Slides)
Cooling Technologies to Reduce Food Loss After Harvest (Slides)
What COVID Did to Food Politics (Slides)
Tracking Crop Production as Borders Change (Slides)
Mapping Global Nitrogen Use in Crop Production听(Slides)
Winnie BellHow Nutritious Are School Meals Around the World? (Slides)
BREAK: 1:50-2:05 pm

SESSION 2: 2:05-3:25pm

Katherine GregoryDiet During Late Pregnancy and Newborn Health (Slides)
Community-Driven Food Systems for a Changing Climate (Slides)
Are Ultra-Processed Foods Cheaper Worldwide? (Slides)
Innovations in Sustainable Indoor Farming (Slides)
What If SNAP Disappeared? Food Needs During the 2025 Shutdown听
Culinary Diplomacy: Vietnamese and Indonesian Food Globalization (Slides)
Early Action to Prevent Food Crises (Slides)
Babak MomeniReducing Aflatoxin Risks in Infant Foods (Slides)
Food Security in Africa Under Climate Change (Slides)
BREAK: 3:25-3:40pm

SESSION 3: 3:40-5:00pm

Who Is Affected by the 2025 SNAP Cuts? (Slides)
Climate Change and Worker Safety in the Fishing Industry (Slides)
Coral Bleaching, Fisheries, and Nutrition in East Africa听
Farmer Protests and the Limits of Nitrogen Regulation (Slides)
Designing Fiber Textures for Better Food Mouthfeel (Slides)
Food, Folk Medicine, and 鈥淭rad-Wife鈥 Social Media (Slides)
Carbon Incentives for Peatland Restoration in Northern Ireland (Slides)
Women鈥檚 Empowerment, Shocks, and Food Security (Slides)
Hanqin TianRice Production and the Global Methane Challenge (Slides)
Climate Disasters and Emergency Food Aid in Plymouth County (Slides)

RECEPTION: 5:00-6:00pm

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