Food Studies News

Sports Nutrition Expert Heidi Skolnik to Speak

05/04/23

Falk College is pleased to welcome Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM, as the featured speaker of the Seventh Annual Ann Selkowitz Litt Distinguished Speaker Series.

We invite you to join us at 6:30 p.m. April 20 in Grant Auditorium, Falk Complex, for her lecture “Cancel Diet Culture: Food, mood, body image and media. Learn how to normalize vs. moralize eating.” The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served at 5:30 p.m. prior to the lecture.

A national thought leader in nutrition, Skolnik has influenced millions through her media work, writing, and thriving consulting business. She oversees the Performance Nutrition program at The Juilliard School and the School of American Ballet and she has consulted with numerous Broadway shows, including “Hamilton,” “An American in Paris,” “Aladdin,” and “Billy Elliot.” Previously, she worked with the NBA’s New York Knicks (seven years), NFL’s New York Giants Football (18 years), and Major League Baseball’s New York Mets (15 years), and with NHL, MLS, WNBA, Olympic, collegiate, high school, and recreational athletes.

Skolnik has been part of The Women’s Sports Medicine Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery for over 20 years. She has co-authored five books, including The New York Times best-selling “The Whole Body Reset,” “Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance: The right food, the right time, the right results,” and “The Athlete Triad Playbook.”

“When you combine Heidi’s extensive experience with athletes from high school to the NFL with her ability to connect with audiences, this is a can’t-miss opportunity for anyone interested in performance nutrition,” says Lynn Brann, chair of the departments of Nutrition and Food Studies and Exercise Science at Falk. “We are thrilled that Heidi will share her stories and insights with us, and we are grateful to the Litt family for their continued support of this event that greatly benefits our students.”

An experienced and sought-after presenter, Skolnik consults and presents nationwide to corporations, professional organizations, universities, and colleges. As an expert resource for national media, Skolnik has appeared on The Today Show, The View, Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Meredith Vieira Show, Primetime, 20/20, Extra, The Weather Channel, Fox News Channel, ESPN, the YES Network, Food Network, and CNN’s American Morning and Headline News.

In addition to sports nutrition, wellness, and active aging, treating the Female Athlete Triad and Relative Energy in Sports (RED-S) continues to be Skolnik’s area of expertise as she works in collaboration with other members of a client’s team to help each athlete return to health and peak performance.

Skolnik holds two master’s degrees in exercise physiology and human nutrition and is a Fellow with the American College of Sports Medicine. Skolnik sat on the board of the National Osteoporosis Foundation for 10 years and currently sits on the Medical Advisory Committee of the National Menopause Foundation.

For information about the Ann Litt Lecture and accommodations or parking requests, please contact Annette Hodgens at ahodgens@syr.edu or 315.443.9816.

About the Ann Selkowitz Litt Distinguished Speaker Series

Ann Selkowitz Litt ’75 (1953-2007) was a nationally known nutritionist who helped children and adolescents with eating disorders and assisted developing athletes in reaching their full potential. The nutrition consultant to CosmoGirl magazine, Litt was the author of The College Students’ Guide to Eating Well on Campus, Fuel for Young Athletes, and the American Dietetic Association Guide to Private Practice. She was the nutritionist for the NFL’s Washington Commanders and served as spokesperson for several media campaigns during her career, including the Got Milk campaign. After her death, the Ann S. Litt Foundation, Inc., was created to support nutrition education. Through a generous gift from this foundation to Falk College, the Ann Selkowitz Litt Distinguished Speaker Series was created at Syracuse University in 2015.

Savoring College Life

06/03/23

InclusiveU Student Finds Recipe for Success in Food Studies Classes, Campus Activities and Advocacy Work

Photo of Mackenzie Gleason in a test kitchen, catching a bell pepper midair. — Mackenzie Gleason ’24 enjoys her time learning about food and cooking in the Susan R. Klenk Learning Café and Kitchens at Falk College. An InclusiveU student, she is working on earning a certificate in food studies.

It’s a blustery day in late November and Mackenzie Gleason ’24 makes sure she has a recipe safely tucked away in a pocket as she walks across campus to Syracuse University’s Falk College. She’s headed to the Susan R. Klenk Learning Café and Kitchens and is looking forward to baking a batch of maple-glazed apple crisp cookies. “Tonight is self-cook night because it’s so close to Thanksgiving,” she says of the cooking lab for Farm to Fork, a course she’s taking. “These only take 28 minutes total, so that’s not too bad.”

Gleason is a food studies major and sports the credentials of a foodie, for sure. In conversation, she talks about her food studies classes, cooking, favorite dishes, a friend’s peanut allergy and the exotic flavors of a Japanese soda with a marble in the bottle to preserve carbonation. She also speaks about being a fan of celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s Food Network shows and several local restaurants, including ones Fieri has visited. “I love cooking,” she says.

For Gleason, the opportunity to pursue her passion is important, and she’s doing it through InclusiveU, an initiative of the School of Education’s Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education that welcomes students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to experience college life in a fully inclusive setting. Gleason, who identifies as autistic, is a commuter student who hopes to live on campus next year.

Working toward a certificate in food studies, Gleason also took the course Nutrition in Health in the fall semester. In addition, she is gaining valuable experience working at a Wegman’s grocery store where she does food prep and packaging. Along with those responsibilities, she’s attentive to customer questions and providing support. “I can help with orders, depending on what they are,” she says. “I’m trained on the deep fryer, and I can do egg rolls.”

Mary Kiernan, associate teaching professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, enjoyed having Gleason in her Farm to Fork course. “Mackenzie has been a treat to have in the kitchens,” Kiernan says. “She is a super student—always prepared before, during and after class. She has worked well in any group she has been assigned. She not only learns from group mates but also teaches them. She understands how to communicate with both peers and instructors. Her enthusiasm for life—and culinary—is contagious!”

Photo of Gleason sitting at a table, smiling at her laptop. — Gleason breaks out her laptop for some work in Falk College’s Student Lounge.

Discovering a Path to College

When Gleason first learned about InclusiveU from her mom, she was excited because she wanted to be a college student. With a longtime affinity for Syracuse University, she likes that it’s close to her home in Phoenix, New York, and notes that her dad went to SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. “I love it at Syracuse University,” she says. “It’s fun. It’s a big campus, and there’s a lot of stuff to do.”

Gleason has made friends on campus and enjoys a range of activities. She is an Orange sports fan who has attended football and soccer games and followed the men’s soccer team on its run to the national title. She is involved in LGBTQ+ student organizations and is also a paid peer trainer for InclusiveU’s Peer2Peer program, which pairs students together for social activities. In the fall, she helped lead classmates on outings to Paint Night at Dave & Buster’s restaurant and a showing of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. “I basically meet people here and take them to events,” she says. “I make sure they have tickets, bring what they need and make sure they know how to get back.”

Photo of Gleason sitting on a bench, smiling at a friend. — Gleason and Kaeley Carr ’25, an InclusiveU sophomore, share a laugh together.

Embracing Self-Advocacy

One of Gleason’s most important efforts centers on advocacy, learning how to champion for her rights and others with disabilities. Last summer, she virtually attended the Autism Campus Inclusion Leadership Academy, a project of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network that is designed to help students learn how to improve their campuses for people with disabilities. “It was awesome,” she says. “I help all my friends and like to help them be organized.”

Last semester, as part of her coursework, Gleason participated in InclusiveU’s Advocacy in Inclusive Higher Education, a seminar that introduces students to advocacy work focusing on making inclusive higher education more accessible for those interested in attending college and enhancing inclusivity for current students. As part of the seminar, she joined classmates in working on a letter to the Student Association, which was seeking suggestions for creating change on campus. She also attended the Taishoff Center’s State of the Art Student Leadership Conference, which brought students from programs across the country together to connect, learn how to successfully transition to college and serve as advocates. The conference featured presentations on academics, health, internships and employment, relationships and social life. In a video from the conference, Gleason offers this advice to future students: “Get to know everybody and your way around campus,” she says.

Gleason is familiar with campus now and looks forward to the days she’s on the Hill, so she can explore and also meet friends for lunch. For the spring semester, she has volunteered to serve on the board of the new Disability Student Union and is taking Introduction to Jewelry and Metals, Beginning Yoga and Drawing I Observation.

Away from school, Gleason describes herself as a “boarder”—adept at skateboards, longboards, hoverboards and especially snowboards, which she’s hit the slopes with at local ski resorts as well as ones in Vermont. One day, Gleason hopes to run her own restaurant. As she continues her work and education, she’s inspired to make new connections and learn more about the culinary world and its endless offerings.

~ An SU Story by Jay Cox originally published on March 1, 2023.

Joan Christy Lecture Series Presents Chef Educator Danny Corsun

24/02/23

Edible empowerment: Using food as an experiential teaching vehicle

Danny Corsun Portrait — Chef Educator Danny Corsun

The Department of Nutrition and Food Studies will host chef educator Danny Corsun for “Edible empowerment: Using food as an experiential teaching vehicle” on Monday, March 6, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in 335 White Hall, Falk College. View the event page for more details.

Danny Corsun has been a chef educator since 2000. As a classroom educator, he created a program that taught academic disciplines through experientially engaging cooking classes. This program created a fun classroom environment for students—and resulted in better cognitive processing and retention of curriculum. In 2005, he retired from that one classroom to teach in thousands.

Corsun created Culinary Kids Academy to provide math, science, history, and nutrition curriculum to youth across Los Angeles. In 2009 he expanded the company by adding a faith-based division. Culinary Judaics Academy uses both in-person programming and its “Masterclass for Jewish learning through cooking” digital platform to deliver dynamic, engaging, and experiential content and curriculum to Jews of all ages, affiliations, and levels of practice. Since 2005, Culinary Judaics Academy’s workshops have reached over 50,000 students worldwide.

The Joan Christy lecture series is made possible by The Christy Food and Culture Fund, established in 2005 through the generosity of Syracuse University nutrition alumna Joan Christy ’78, G’81 to provide support for a lecture series in the nutrition program at the University.

The event is free and open to the public. For accommodations requests, please contact Annette Hodgens at 315.443.9816 or ahodgens@syr.edu. For parking accommodations, please contact Mackenzie Kelly at 315-443-5573 or mkelly47@syr.edu.

Achieving Immortality

20/02/23

Food Studies Graduate Student Arcènia Notilija Vilanculo Helps Create Food Forests on Syracuse’s South Side

As a member of the Syracuse Urban Food Forest Project, Arcènia Notilija Vilanculo supports the implementation of food forests and research.

This past October, Falk College Food Studies graduate student Arcènia Notilija Vilanculo ’24 and Food Studies Professor Anne Bellows were part of a group from the Syracuse Urban Food Forest Project that planted trees along Onondaga Creek in the City of Syracuse.

With the trees firmly in the ground, Vilanculo said that now she “just had to have children and write a book to achieve immortality.” Bellows looked at Vilanculo quizzically and asked what she meant.

“I explained to her that in my country (Mozambique), there is a saying that, when translated from Portuguese to English, goes: For someone to be immortal, they have to write a book, have a child, and plant a tree,” Vilanculo says. “And since we had a day planting trees, I just had two more things to do to be immortal.”

Bellows remembered that conversation when the Syracuse Urban Food Forest Project wanted to invite the residents of Syracuse’s South Side to a meeting in early February to discuss the kind of edible trees, shrubs, and herbs that could be planted in their neighborhoods this year, and where they should be planted.

To create that invitation, Bellows thought it would be effective if Vilanculo, with her unique perspective, authored a story about creating food forests in a community. To reach their desired audience, Bellows connected with Newhouse School of Public Communications Assistant Professor Greg Munno, who’s the Newhouse faculty representative on the board of directors for The Stand, a publication dedicated to community news from Syracuse’s South Side.

Munno, who spent 13 years as a reporter and editor at the Syracuse Post-Standard and syracuse.com before coming to Syracuse University, recognized the value of Vilanculo’s perspective and using her story as an invitation to the meeting. He graciously agreed to use Vilanculo’s story as a guest column, and here’s how it starts:

“There is a saying in Portuguese that goes, “para ser imortal, plante uma árvore, escreva um livro e tenha um filho,” which can be translated as “to be immortal, plant a tree, write a book and have a child.” That way your deeds will be a mark to be shown to several generations ahead of you.

“This saying, “para ser immortal,” is not about planting trees, writing books, or having children. Instead, in my Mozambican tradition, it is about the freedom to access spaces that are rightfully yours, owning one’s history, and having a community to call yours without any restraints. It may seem too pretentious to compare immortality to books, plants, and children. However, the Mozambican-derived analogy reiterates the importance of acts that reproduce autonomy and self-determination in construing the world around us.” …

The full story is available on The Stand’s website.

Arcènia stands on a sidewalk in a city — Arcènia Notilija Vilanculo used her guest column in The Stand to invite the residents of Syracuse’s South Side to a meeting to discuss the kind of edible trees, shrubs, and herbs that could be planted in their neighborhoods this year.

About Arcènia Notilija Vilanculo

Arcènia Notilija Vilanculo is an agronomic engineer from Mozambique with practical experience in the end-to-end project management of nutrition-sensitive interventions: sustainable agriculture, women empowerment, capacity building, and social behavior change strategies development. A 2022 Fulbright Scholar, she is interested in making a positive impact on the community and human development through food justice and inclusive food systems.

In pursuing her passion for working with communities on food systems, Vilanculo has been involved with the Syracuse Urban Food Forest Project since September 2022, supporting the implementation of food forests and research.

About The Stand

To learn more about The Stand, the South Side’s community newspaper, visit its website, Facebook page or Instagram page. If you’d like to get involved with The Stand, email Munno at gjmunno@syr.edu.

About the Syracuse Urban Food Forest Project

SUFFP is a collaborative project between Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The project started in 2019 with Syracuse University SOURCE and U.S. Forest Service McIntire-Stennis funding. It continues with U.S. Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative support. Learn more about SUFFP through its Facebook and Instagram page, and in this story and video from Syracuse University.

Starting With a Seed

25/01/23

Graduate student Ethan Tyo Makes an Impact by Fusing His Indigenous Heritage With an Expertise in Food Studies

Ethan Tyo stands with vegetables on a rooftop garden — Ethan Tyo ’17, G’23 poses atop his apartment’s rooftop garden, holding corn and squash, two of the three crops featured in the Indigenous Three Sisters agricultural method. Photo by Geena Matuson G’19.

As a Syracuse University sophomore in 2015, Ethan Tyo ’17, G’23 was studying abroad in London when he decided to experiment with a plant-based diet. It was the beginning of a journey for Tyo, who went on to lose over 100 pounds in a year and a half and discover a passion for food. “It was about mental health, physical health, and becoming a new person,” recalls Tyo of his semester abroad.

Today, Tyo, a member of the Akwesasne Mohawk Tribe, is a food studies graduate student in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, where he’s combining his passion for food with an enthusiasm to educate others about his roots. From introducing a new garden on campus to becoming a published author, Tyo has utilized campus resources to create a more comfortable environment for the Indigenous community.

Tylo prepares recipe — Tyo combines squash, corn and beans together as part of a recipe. Recently, his Three Sisters bean patties with raspberry aioli recipe was featured in The New York Times Cooking section.

Growing up on Akwesasne Territory, which straddles the border between the United States and Canada in northern New York, Tyo didn’t have the resources to maintain a healthy diet. He explains that the nearest grocery store was a 25-minute drive from his home. When Tyo arrived at Syracuse University, suddenly fresh fruits and vegetables were readily accessible

Since then, Tyo has made it his mission to intersect his Indigenous roots with healthy dietary habits. For example, on South Campus, he planted a Three Sisters garden, which involves the Indigenous agricultural method of planting squash, beans and corn together to create a sustainable diet. In addition to Syracuse, he has initiated Three Sisters gardens at other nearby universities to help unite the Indigenous student communities and create opportunities for an underrepresented demographic on college campuses. Tyo’s influence has also earned national attention, as evidenced by his recipe for Three Sisters bean patties recently featured in The New York Times Cooking section.

It’s a fundamental goal of Tyo’s to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into campus life. “The purpose of the Three Sisters garden on campus was to create space for engaging with Indigenous activities while away from our home communities,” he says. “It’s a true land acknowledgment, and the first time Onondaga seeds have been returned to ancestral lands in this way. I believe this is a pathway to begin building relationships between Tribal communities and academic institutions whose ancestral land they inhabit today.”

While creating a more inclusive environment on campus, Tyo built a working relationship with Akwesasne leaders back on his home reservation. Tyo says he didn’t grow up very connected with his Indigenous peers, but he’s become closer with them since coming to Syracuse. He was unaware that many of the friends he made in college had grown up down the street from him.

From One Chapter to the Next

Ethan Tylo prepares recipe — Tyo prepares a recipe using the Three Sisters ingredients at the Susan R. Klenk Learning Café and Kitchens in Falk College.

As an undergraduate, Tyo—who majored in information management and technology in the School of Information Studies—placed his focus on social media, personally and professionally. He documented his plant-based journey on Instagram and held internships working as a content strategist. “I learned how to be healthy, take care of myself and to balance lifestyle and nutrition,” he says. “How can I then document this, showcase it and learn from other people?” The answer began with social media. “A lot of my projects are like chapters, so social media was the first chapter of being able to change my lifestyle,” he says.

As one chapter closed, another opened. Returning to Syracuse to pursue a master’s degree in food studies, Tyo went back to doing what he does best: experimenting.

In his downtown apartment, Tyo pondered a question. “Is there a way we can grow food in food deserts, in urban areas, in weird spots like six stories in the air?” Without any knowledge of gardening, but with a handful of seeds, he attempted a rooftop garden. And in a recurring theme, it became a successful community garden where other residents could pick herbs, tomatoes and more. He also grew the Three Sisters there, trying out different seeds—keeping some for his collection and sending the extras back to his nation.

Last year, in a collaborative effort alongside friends and fellow graduate students, Tyo published the cookbook Fetagetaboutit, which weaves simple, plant-based recipes into a fictional story about Bobby Slay, a celebrity chef by day and superstar Master DJ by night. He wanted to create a nonconformist cookbook that could attract a younger audience while teaching the importance of sustainability and reducing food waste. “I wanted to compact down everything that I’ve been able to learn, live off and eat over the course of my plant-based journey up to then in my cookbook,” says Tyo, who curated most of the recipes.

Tyo produced the cookbook with guidance from the Blackstone LaunchPad—Syracuse University’s innovation community. Now, he’s a mentor with the LaunchPad, and he’s working with the creative community on another initiative, the AlterNative Project, which evolved out of his graduate practicum.

Spreading Seeds of Indigenous Knowledge

The AlterNative Project is an effort to engage people in experiences across the food system that are grounded in the Indigenous values of community, sustainability and land. “Indigenous food holds complex historic, cultural and theoretical value beyond books and stories. We need to understand this knowledge, so we can continue our ways,” Tyo says. “This project puts knowledge into action to educate and empower our communities.” For example, part of the reason he didn’t have a healthy diet growing up was the consequences of industrialism, he explains. PCBs, mercury and other harmful chemicals flooded the rivers feeding into Tyo’s reservation, leading to “poisoned land” and making it unsafe to naturally grow food there, he says.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established several Superfund sites for the St. Lawrence River area, which includes the Akwesasne Territory. The objective includes the “remediation of hazardous waste sites and contaminated sediments, and source control activities,” according to the EPA. Since 1987, there has been an ongoing effort to improve water quality in and around the St. Lawrence River area, but the restoration process is far from over. “We’re not able to fish in our rivers because of industrial plants,” Tyo says. “We had four or five industrial plants that were built upstream from us.”

The purpose of the Three Sisters garden on campus was to create space for engaging with Indigenous activities while away from our home communities. It’s a true land acknowledgment, and the first time Onondaga seeds have been returned to ancestral lands in this way.

The AlterNative Project seeks to shed light on such issues through educational efforts. For instance, Tyo worked with the Native Student Program to create a series of workshops and events around traditional Haudenosaunee foodways, including the Three Sisters garden dedication. This work has led to collaborations with academic departments at Syracuse to infuse Indigenous knowledge into curricula as well as establishing cultural sites at neighboring universities and partnering with museums. “Museums can protect and preserve traditional knowledge for future generations—with the long-term goal of developing tribal food system projects and opportunities to build resilience and food sovereignty back home,” he says.

It’s one of the many goals for Tyo in this very busy chapter of his life. Alongside Angela Ferguson, a member of the Onondaga Nation and a legend in the realm of Indigenous preservation, he will be working with the Adirondack Experience Museum on a cultural installation. Tyo will also head to the Museum of Natural History in New York City with Ferguson in the spring to demonstrate the revitalization of Indigenous agricultural and dietary methods through the Three Sisters gardens.

Several years ago, Tyo made the snap decision to change his relationship with food. Little did he know it was the first chapter in a story that is far from over. He is just scratching the surface of his long-term mission to fuse his knowledge of food with his Indigenous heritage to create awareness and a sense of community.

“Who knows what the potential is for these gardens?” Tyo says, gazing at a corn stalk rising a couple of inches above his head. “I’ve made my roots here.”

Cameron McKeon

Original story was published on January 24, 2023.

Can Kelp Help?

23/12/22

Research Examines Dairy Farmer, Dairy Nutritionist Attitudes on Adding Feed Additive to Cut Methane Emissions?

Professor Welsh and graduate student Tynan at Cornell conference — Welsh and grad student Tynan conducted surveys of nutritionists at a conference at Cornell University.

While the majority of climate change research focuses on reducing and capturing carbon dioxide, less attention has been paid to methane emissions, despite the gas having 30 times the warming effect. Over a quarter of the United States’ total methane emissions are derived from enteric fermentation (cow burps) alone. Emerging research finds that feeding certain species of algae (seaweed, kelp or microalgae) to cattle can reduce their methane emissions by 80 to 99%. Unfortunately, most farmers and bovine nutritionists are unfamiliar with algae-based feed supplements, and the supplements are not always available and can be expensive.

A faculty member and graduate student in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics are among a multidisciplinary team of over 50 researchers tackling this issue. Falk Family Endowed Professor of Food Studies Rick Welsh and graduate research assistant Michelle Tynan are part of the $10 million Coast-Cow-Consumer project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Sustainable Agriculture Systems Program.

Welsh and Tynan have been surveying and interviewing conventional (non-organic) and organic dairy farmers, as well as dairy nutritionists, about their knowledge of algae-based feed supplements, the level of interest farmers and nutritionists have in feeding the supplements, and the barriers faced in implementation.

“Without dairy farmer and professional dairy nutritionists’ understanding and comfort with the technology, any potential benefits cannot be realized. Therefore, listening to and learning from farmers and other dairy professionals is key,” Welsh says.

Familiarity Key

Over the summer, Welsh and Marie-Claire Bryant ’22, who received an M.S. in food studies, held focus group sessions with organic and conventional farmers. They found that organic dairy farmers were more familiar with using algae-based feed supplements than conventional farmers, since many organic farmers already use it as a health care aid instead of conventional products, such as antibiotics. In focus group sessions, organic farmers explained their experience that feeding algae has improved cow fertility, reduced pink eye infections and lowered the incidence of mastitis of the udders.

Those sessions also revealed that conventional farmers were skeptical of the health claims, but could be interested as more science emerges and if using algae-based feed supplements is cost-effective.

Their reports also made it clear that farmers would adopt algae supplements to promote cow health—but not to reduce methane—unless a methane-reduction program was incentivized by the government, dairy cooperatives or milk manufacturing firms.

Nutritionist Survey

More recently, Welsh, Tynan and food studies graduate student Ryan Fitzgerald conducted a survey of dairy nutritionists at the Cornell Nutrition Conference. They found that most nutritionists do not recommend algae to their clients, not because they don’t believe it is effective, but because they don’t feel they know enough about it. The nutritionists wanted to see more peer-reviewed research showing the efficacy and safety of algae-based feed supplements.

Welsh and Tynan plan to continue surveying dairy farmers and nutritionists and will be working with other project members to understand the value of those supplements for improving farm income and herd health, as well as protecting the environment.

seaweed — Wild harvested rockweed awaits processing into livestock supplements at SOURCE Inc. in Maine. Welsh and Tynan visited SOURCE with the Coast-Cow-Consumer team in July 2022. (Photo by Michelle Tynan)

A Bonus Economy?

Popularizing algae-based feed supplements could also help another type of farmer—the lobster fishers of Maine, according to Welsh. Given algae’s ability to grow well in cooler Maine waters and its harvest period opposite the lobster season, it could provide an alternate source of income for that region. Algae (seaweed) is known for being able to sequester large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, Welsh says.

Research on methane gas reduction is particularly pertinent now. President Biden recently announced new initiatives to address what his administration describes as “super-polluting methane emissions—a major contributor to climate change,” including emissions from beef and dairy systems. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, in concert with the state’s Climate Action Council, also just announced goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050.

The Coast-Cow-Consumer project is now entering its second of five years. The project team includes researchers from Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Clarkson University, Colby College, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Kansas State University, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont, William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute and Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment.

“The opportunities for collaboration are as deep and wide as the ocean itself,” says researcher and graduate student Tynan. “We are hoping this research contributes to a sea change in methane reduction, sustainability and cow health.”

Memories We’ll Always Treasure

21/11/22

Networking, Professional Development, and the School Spirit Award: Falk College Dietetic Intern Maddy Baker Recaps the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo

Maddy Baker standing with the letters FNCE in front of her — Maddy Baker says she and the other dietetic interns from Falk College left FNCE with “knowledge and insight on diverse topics, connections to professionals in the fields, and memories we will always treasure.”

Each year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics holds the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE). The Academy comprises the largest group of food and nutrition professionals in the world, and each year members from around the country travel to experience everything FNCE has to offer.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to FNCE. But after being held virtually for the past two years, the Academy and nutrition community was excited to welcome FNCE back in person this October in Orlando, Florida.

This year’s cohort of dietetic interns from Syracuse University were encouraged and supported by Falk College to attend FNCE. All 10 interns, along with multiple Falk nutrition faculty, traveled to Orlando for a weekend of networking, professional development, and fun!

FNCE 2022 did not disappoint and offered countless educational sessions, an impressive expo floor, and exciting networking opportunities. Each intern expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity to attend this inspiring event. As future dietitians, this was a valuable experience that inspired us as young professionals and reminded us of the important field we are working to enter.

When asked by our director to reflect on my experience, I noted that, “Connecting with other students and dietitians and hearing about their experiences and passions is inspiring and confirms that I am on the right track in becoming a dietitian.”

The conference was held from Oct. 8-11. After an exciting opening ceremony and hearing from Academy President and Syracuse University alumna Ellen Shanley, the conference began. There were sessions throughout each day, varying from topics such as sustainability to inflammation and malnutrition to cultural differences and accessibility.

There was truly no shortage of opportunities to learn. When the interns were not attending sessions or checking out research posters, we visited the expo floor. This year, more than 200 organizations attended FNCE. Brands and companies big and small showcased their products and services and to no one’s surprise, it was delicious!

Orlando showed its Orange spirit that weekend with representation from Falk College! Assistant Professor Jessica Garay presented research posters with student contributions titled “The Effect of a 3-month Lacto-ovo Vegetarian Diet Intervention on Diet Quality” and “The Effect of a 3-month Lacto-ovo Vegetarian Diet on Inflammation.”

Associate Professor and Undergraduate Director of Nutrition Kay Stearns Bruening presented a future practice poster titled “Focused interdisciplinary learning experiences improves awareness of interprofessional health profession skills.”

One of the most exciting events of the weekend was when the Syracuse University Dietetic Internship accepted the School Spirit Award. The interns and director Nikki Beckwith attended a reception with Academy President Shanley and heard words of professional advice from multiple academy board members. Nikki and interns were honored to accept the award from alumna Shanley and show their Orange pride!

Students attending FNCE 2022 — Led by director Nikki Beckwith, the Syracuse University Dietetic Internship won the School Spirit Award, which was presented to the group by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics President and Syracuse University alumna Ellen Shanley.

The Syracuse community was so proud that one of our interns, Rebecca Garofano, presented this year. Rebecca and her research partner, Helen Midney, presented on their research titled “Food Solidarity: Lessons from a Farmworker Community’s Food Pantry Garden.” (In April, Garofano was honored with the Outstanding Dietetics Student Award by the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.)

All nutrition students hear about FNCE and the amazing opportunity it provides, however after experiencing it firsthand, the Syracuse University dietetic interns agree that this is an understatement. Having the opportunity to travel as a program was a memorable experience. We left with knowledge and insight on diverse topics, connections to professionals in the fields, and memories we will always treasure.

Editor’s Note: Baker was joined in Orlando by nine other dietetic interns who are graduate students and will complete their internships in May: Asma Bukhari, Dahabo Farah, Rebecca Garofano, Natalie Krisa, Olivia Mancabelli, Maureen Philzone, Jennifer Pope, Sydney Teeter and Shenna Tyer. If you’re interested in a career in nutrition and dietetics, learn about the programs offered through Falk College on the Department of Nutrition Science and Dietetics webpage.

—Maddy Baker ‘23, Dietetic Intern, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Growing Food Activism

21/11/22

Clements Internship Award Allows Food Studies Graduate Student April Lopez to Advocate for Excluded and Immigrant Farm Workers

Protestors hold signs in front of a building — Activists, including Lopez, campaign on behalf of migrant workers.

“Moving across the country in pursuit of my master’s degree in food studies was a very risky but meaningful decision. I wanted to get more involved in the local workers’ movement, as much of my academic interests and personal background align with labor rights of agricultural migrant workers,” says April Lopez G’23.

The Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Award allowed her to pursue a summer internship combining her passions of food and activism. “Bridging that connection led to an internship where I was responsible for assisting different efforts focused on improving working conditions for immigrant low-wage workers in the state of New York, who were severely and negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Lopez says. “This would not have been possible without the Clements Award. The funding made it possible for me to stay in Syracuse for the summer, lobbying for a permanent unemployment fund for excluded workers, health care for all and legal services for immigrant workers.”

Two young women hold signs that say Pass NY 4 All. — April Lopez G’23 was able to pursue a summer internship in the food justice movement thanks to the Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Award.

Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Award is open for juniors, seniors and graduate students of any major seeking to further their career development through undertaking self-obtained unique internship opportunities. The award provides students with financial assistance to help in the pursuit of their unique professional goals.

Awards may range from $1,500 to $6,000, crucial for students who may not have the money needed to pay for internship-related travel, accommodations, required materials or living expenses. Erin Smith ’15, Syracuse University Career Services internship program coordinator, knows how pivotal this award is for ambitious students.

“The Mark and Pearle Clements Award is a special honor for Syracuse University students who go above and beyond by proactively planning for and creating unique summer experiences,” says Smith. “It is a privilege to oversee the application process for such an impactful award.”

Winning students are able to use the award to pursue unique internships that directly related to their professional interests. In doing so, they received extraordinary hands-on opportunities that would not have been possible otherwise. Among all awardees, gratitude is expressed not only for the support of the award but also for the experiences and industry connections gained along the way.

Learn more about the Clements Internship Awards.

Down to Earth

14/11/22

Food Studies Graduate Students Getting Their Hands Dirty at ‘Living Agroecological Lab’

Students study together sitting on the ground — The graduate students in Assistant Professor Esteli Jiménez-Soto’s agroecology class discuss their findings after testing the soil at Pete’s Giving Garden. In the circle clockwise are Michelle Tynan (blue hat), Dea Closson, Ellen Pitstick, Asmita Das, Julie Capito, Ryan Fitzgerald, April Lopez, Gabriel Smith, and Jiménez-Soto.

On a cool but sunny early October morning on Syracuse University’s South Campus, eight graduate students from the Food Studies program at Falk College sit in a circle at Pete’s Giving Garden and talk dirt.

No, not gossip about their professor, Estelí Jiménez-Soto. Actually, she’s right there with them, sharing her thoughts occasionally but mostly listening as student Michelle Tynan leads a discussion about their understanding of soil, why soil composition matters, and even if they’ve considered the type of soil that surrounds their homes or apartments.

Eventually, the students split into two groups and collected soil samples from the garden, the lawn, and the bordering forest. Literally getting their hands dirty, the students compared the properties of soils and applied what they had learned about agroecological practices to what they observed and measured that day.

Welcome to the graduate-level agroecology course, where students “discuss soil, food sovereignty and regenerative agriculture, and learn how agricultural systems can be designed in a way that meets ecological and social sustainability goals,” says Jiménez-Soto, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at Falk.

And what did the students find in the soil in and around Pete’s Giving Garden?

Students in a garden — Pete’s Giving Garden on South Campus provides a living agroecological lab for graduate students (clockwise) Gabriel Smith (blue hat), Julie Capito, April Lopez,and Ryan Fitzgerald.

“We found many more microarthropods (small invertebrates that act as decomposers) in the forest soil than we did in any other sample,” Tynan says. “The forest soil was much darker, indicating a higher level of organic matter. Agroecological theory teaches us to learn from natural processes–like how soil is generated and how nutrients are cycled in a forest–and apply this to agricultural systems like a farm or garden.”

For the agroecology students, Pete’s Giving Garden provides an ideal space to test the concepts they learn in class. The garden is also the epicenter of a series of collaborations across the Syracuse University campus that involve Falk and the Food Studies program.

For example, two of the agroecology students–Gabriel Smith and April Lopez–work on issues involving food insecurity on campus as the garden has provided more than 600 pounds of produce for the Hendricks Chapel food pantries. Smith is the manager at Pete’s Giving Garden, and he and Food Studies graduate student Ethan Tyo appeared in a recent Spectrum News story about how the garden is bringing national attention to Indigenous agriculture.

“The work of these students highlights the tremendous importance of food access and gardens for our campus community,” Jiménez-Soto says. “These gardens are hotspots of biodiversity and are so important as we address climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity.”

Students together outside near a forest — Assistant Professor Esteli Jiménez-Soto helps students (clockwise) Ellen Pitstick, Michelle Tynan, and Dea Closson test the soil in the forest that borders Pete’s Giving Garden.

Led by Pete’s Giving Garden faculty representative Chaya Lee Charles, Falk’s Nutrition and Food Studies Department also partners with the University’s Office of Sustainability Management, which oversees day-to-day operations of the garden and helped facilitate the agroecology lab for the Falk students.

“This is the first class from Falk that has really imbedded– yes, pun intended–the garden and Sustainability Management with students who are getting their hands in the dirt and using the garden as it was intended to be used as – a campus lab,” says Melissa Cadwell, the University’s sustainability coordinator.

“I hope that collaborations between Nutrition and Food Studies, Sustainability Management, and the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry help reduce the stigma around asking for help,” Lopez says. “Students deserve a space that enables them to acquire food in a dignified way.”

To learn more about the agroecology class, we talked to three students: Michelle Tynan G’23, who’s from Olympia, Washington, and received her undergraduate degree in environmental studies from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, in 2012; April Lopez G’23, a graduate assistant from Bridgeport, Washington, who received her undergraduate degree in business administration and communication studies from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, in 2019; and Ryan Fitzgerald G’23, who’s from Sandy Hook, Connecticut, and received his undergraduate dual degree in biology and anthropology from SUNY Oswego in 2019. Here’s that discussion:

Q: Why are you taking the class and what are you learning in it?

Tynan: Agroecology is more than just the meeting of ecology and agriculture; it’s a theory of interconnectedness between living beings and a systems approach to understanding our surroundings. Our readings go beyond how to amend soil and grow healthy plants; they show us that it’s not possible to separate agriculture from social, economic, or political forces. It teaches us a “farmer first” approach–treating farmers as scientists with deep knowledge of their land and practices.

Much of the modern history of Western agriculture has been marred by the green revolution, corporate capture of the food system, and creating generations of agronomists who believe that short-term solutions (like pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and fossil fuel reliant machinery) will solve problems like global hunger. Agroecology teaches us to zoom out and learn from ancestral knowledge of agricultural communities around the world.

Lopez: As someone with a limited ecology background, I was drawn to this course to gain a deeper understanding of the ecological foundation necessary to the study of agroecology. Drawing from my background in agricultural labor and my cultural roots has facilitated my understanding of agroecology and many of the sociopolitical topics (such as the conservation of traditional knowledge and Indigenous agrarian culture) that we discuss in class have resonated with my own experiences.

Fitzgerald: In our agroecology seminar we are learning the science, theory, and practice of integrating ecological systems thinking with agricultural environments, as well as ways in which industrial agriculture limits our vision of an affective, reciprocal agriculture (an agriculture that cares for people the same way that people care for it).

I’m taking the class because work on my thesis is undergirded by agroecological principles, but also because I want to familiarize myself with the topic more generally. I love gardening but I’m still a novice; the coursework and discussion is helpful for coloring my thumb green.

Q: What are you learning at Pete’s Giving Garden that you can’t learn in the classroom?

Lopez: Many classes in the Food Studies program tend to be theoretical, so they never require leaving the classroom. With a course like agroecology–a multi-pronged discipline that emphasizes the importance of Praxis–it’s important to have spaces where we can apply the concepts we are learning. Pete’s Giving Garden is a space that allows for a local and accessible understanding of agroecology.

Fitzgerald: Having the garden available to the class brings everything down to earth, literally. You can’t learn what soil smells like, how to plant onions, or the texture of the earth in a sterile lecture hall. You wouldn’t go to a doctor who has never seen a patient and only read the textbooks! Same with gardeners. There’s a reason they say never trust a skinny chef.

Tynan: Without a garden, we would not have access to a living agroecological lab. We can apply what we are reading about to what we can see, feel, and measure in the garden. For example, we learned how soils are healthier when there is a high level of species biodiversity present. We can then go to the garden and compare the soil in places where there is little species biodiversity to areas of the garden that have lots of different plants growing.

Q: Why is this topic–and by extension this class–important to you and your future career?

Fitzgerald: I hope to work in urban and community agriculture for a while in Syracuse. There is such a rich tradition of home gardens in this city, and I want to be part of a team that provides space for people to exert some agency in the food system instead of being dependent on massive supply chains and subject to the arbitrary, reactionary whims of a global marketplace. This class and its related topics touch on the need to have a robust, community-oriented food system that is environmentally and culturally attentive in its agrobiodiversity.

Tynan: I have experienced the dairy industry from many sides and feel strongly that dairy farmers and farmworkers deserve our utmost respect and support. I am currently on a multi-institution, USDA grant-funded project called “Coast-Cow-Consumer” that focuses on the benefits of feeding seaweed to dairy cattle to reduce their methane emissions. My role on the project, along with (Falk Family Endowed) Professor Rick Welsh, is to connect the seaweed, greenhouse gas, and animal science occurring within the project to the reality of the dairy industry.

We use a “farmer-first” methodology, interviewing farmers and dairy nutritionists about why they do or do not feed seaweeds, what benefits they observe, and what would help them implement seaweed supplements on a regular basis. Agroecology teaches us that excluding farmers from agricultural studies is a mistake and misses out on cocreation and sharing of knowledge–a core tenet of agroecology–as well as opportunities to approach agricultural issues from a socio-economic viewpoint.

My goal after graduating is to find meaningful work that improves rural livelihoods, including farmers, farmworkers, livestock, and the surrounding ecosystems.

Lopez: Food studies, despite sounding incredibly narrow, is a broad discipline. I was interested in food studies primarily to do work related to labor and food security, but I believe for me to approach a career in food I should look at the whole system. Agroecology’s principles are fundamental to developing systems-thinking that will inform how I practice food justice going forward.

Q: What would you say to prospective Nutrition and Food Studies graduate students about taking this class?

Tynan: This is a foundational course for reframing our understanding of agriculture. It is not possible to fully understand our food system without learning how food is grown, and how it can be produced more equitably. I also think the opportunities this class has provided for hands-on learning are unique. Most of our other core courses are reading and writing heavy and provide a strong foundation for food studies, but this class gets us outdoors and out of the campus community. Visiting farms and learning from farmers about issues they face and visiting the Syracuse garden and getting our hands dirty provides opportunities to engage with the material in an embodied way.

Lopez: As people, we play a major role in our food system. We are not separate from the system and as participants, the more we know, the more appropriate actions we can take in improving and sustaining our food system. Prospective students interested in learning more about the food system broadly should take a course like agroecology to gain a more holistic understanding.

Fitzgerald: It’s a great crowd of people, and it really demystifies deeply embedded conceptions of the food system. In this program, you learn to “stay with the trouble,” as Donna Haraway puts it (said like a true academic!). As for the agroecology class, get your hands dirty, but also be prepared to say that gardening isn’t for you. Just because you might hate dirt, or laboring in the hot sun, or bugs, or worms, or waiting months for harvest, doesn’t mean that you will be disconnected from these beings or systems. If that revelation comes to you, there’s plenty of space in the food system to accommodate you.

Food Storyteller

11/11/22

Food Studies Graduate Student Ethan Tyo Brings Native American Students Together With Campus Garden

Located near the heart of Haudenosaunee territory, Syracuse University is committed to empowering and supporting Indigenous students of any tribe or nation. From academic programs and resources to welcoming and supportive communities, Syracuse University provides a campus community with faculty, staff and alumni who are invested in helping Indigenous students succeed—like these students and alumni who call the University home.

On campus last summer, Ethan Tyo ’17, G’22 started a garden featuring the Three Sisters—corn, beans and squash—to honor the traditions and culture of the Onondaga Nation, firekeepers of the Haudenosaunee, the Indigenous people on whose ancestral lands Syracuse University now stands.

For Tyo—a food studies master’s student in Falk College who recently published the cookbook Fetagetaboutit—the garden, a cultural installation located in Pete’s Giving Garden on South Campus, represented a way to bring Native American students together and to thank the campus community for its support when he was an undergraduate majoring in information management and technology in the School of Information Studies.

The Three Sisters are the foundational foods of the Haudenosaunee people, and their growth from seeds embodies progress toward recognizing the contributions of Indigenous peoples, Tyo explains. Tyo, who’s Akwesasne Mohawk, wolf clan, used the traditional planting methods of the Onondaga Nation in creating the garden, which is part of his graduate practicum. The garden is being kept for seeds and extra will be given back to the Nation as a reciprocal gift and to acknowledge the important work they have contributed to the University community.

“Indigenous students need people to come together and understand projects like this,” Tyo says. “I’m happy to see how much the school has adopted the garden and given us these opportunities.”