Research Seminar 21st April - Amy Trubek

Research Seminar

April 21st / 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

15:00 – 15:30

Maira Polatto

From Paper Tables to Digital Tables. The Preservation, Transmission, and Transformation of Family Food Heritage Through Citizen Participation and Technology

The research aims to analyze the preservation and revitalization of Family Food Heritage (FFH) in the face of sociocultural transformations, combining tradition and innovation. It is based on Citizen Science and Open Science, engaging citizens in the co‑creation of a collaborative digital platform that documents and shares FFH. Additionally, it critically examines the FFH context across physical and digital media. The study follows three stages: literature review, action research, and case study, employing focus groups, content and narrative analysis, and metric analysis as methods. It addresses practices, perceptions, digitalization, governance, engagement, and intergenerational challenges, promoting inclusion, conviviality, and cultural continuity.

Biography

Maira Polatto is a PhD candidate in Food Heritage: Cultures and Identities at the University of Coimbra. Her PhD. is part of the EU project Convivium. She's also part of the Social Science group at Institut Lyfe Research & Innovation Center

15:30 – 17:00

Amy Trubek

The UVM Climate Kitchen and Imagining New Futures

This presentation describes and explains the varied activities of the UVM University of Vermont Climate Kitchen. We center our work in the kitchen, between production and waste, where food is processed and prepared for human consumption. Here, we engage with both adaptation and mitigation of environmental changes across the system, operating as a hub for applied research , a physical and scientific resource for community partners, and a pedagogical center for university students and food‑focused educators.

Climate Kitchen our research and experimentation focus on food that is nourishing , tastes delicious , and cares for the planet:

1. Plant‑forward
2. Tastes good
3. Low waste
4. Whole foods
5. Regionally sourced

We are a team committed to creative design, generative failures, and John Dewey's ideals of “learning by doing.” For this presentation, the focus will be on creating a regional supply for buckwheat (buckwheat) groats and flour and developing products using spent grain from a local brewery.

Biography

Dr. Amy Trubek is Professor in the Nutrition and Food Sciences department at the University of Vermont. She was the founding Faculty Director of the Food Systems graduate program. Trained as a cultural anthropologist and chef, her research interests include the globalization of the food supply, the relationship between taste and place, the development of food agency, and cooking and sensory evaluation as cultural practices. Dr. Trubek is involved in transdisciplinary, collaborative research with scholars focusing on the 'wicked problems' of our time in relation to food systems and food agency.