Master of Philosophy [M.Phil] [Food and Society] From Newcastle University

Our research primarily involves food systems, food consumption and food marketing:

• consumer studies in food, food provisioning and behaviour change
• perceived risk associated with food and food production
• food supply chains and territorial development
• international political economy of food and agriculture
• risk-benefit communication
• acceptance of novel food and technologies within the value chain

Opportunities are available for postgraduate research in the following areas.

Understanding and measuring societal and individual responses to risks and benefits

• food, nutrition and healthy dietary choices
• sustainable consumption and the reduction of food waste
• food safety and authenticity throughout the supply chain
• emerging food technologies

Developing new methodologies for assessing socio-economic impacts of food risks and communication strategies and other public health interventions related to food choice

• systematic review
• evidence synthesis
• systems thinking
• Bayesian networks
• rapid evidence assessment

Employing qualitative and quantitative methodologies to understand attitudes and behaviours related to food

• microbiological food hazards
• personalised nutrition
• food authenticity
• societal and consumer responses to emerging food production technologies
• behaviour change in relation to food
• food waste

Stakeholder analysis and effectiveness of public engagement

• research agenda setting
• policy and governance, in the area of emerging food technologies
• food and agricultural policy issues

Integrating social and natural science into the development of predictive models of food security to provide evidence for policy translation in the agrifood sector.

• Bayesian networks
• systems thinking

Find out more about the work of the Agr-Food and Society research group.