Lakehead hosting food forum with Diana Bronson
March 5, 2015 – Thunder Bay, ON
Lakehead and the Food Security Research Network are hosting the annual Food Forum on Thursday, March 12, part of the University’s 10th annual Research and Innovation Week.
This forum will highlight food security research and related work in the Thunder Bay region and Northwestern Ontario.
“This is an important opportunity to highlight some of the excellent work being done on food issues at Lakehead University and in the Thunder Bay community,” said Dr. Rebecca Schiff, Food Forum organizer and Assistant Professor with Lakehead’s Department of Health Sciences.
The day includes presentations from Lakehead University students and professors as well as community members working on food security and sustainable food systems. Posters will display students’ research and information from community organizations doing important work on food security.
Highlights of the event include a talk by Diana Bronson, Executive Director of Food Secure Canada. Diana’s talk Politics, Universities, and the Food Movement looks at universities’ roles in supporting sustainable and healthy food for all.
Diana has a professional background in journalism (CBC radio), international human rights, and international climate and technology negotiations at the UN.
For the past several years, Diana has been leading discussions on the need for a cohesive national food policy operating across all levels of government that would link health, environment, social welfare and agricultural issues to fight a common cause.
Diana’s talk is followed by a panel discussion including Lakehead University students and faculty discussing the importance of healthy and sustainable food for our community. A free, local-food lunch will be served.
The event is sponsored by Lakehead University Research & Innovation Week, the Lakehead University Student Union, and the Food Security Research Network. Members of the public, along with students, staff and faculty, are invited to attend.
The opening remarks start at 10 am on Thursday, March 12 in the Agora. Admission and parking are free.
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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8177, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by its Strategic Plan (2013-2018), Lakehead is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.
Maclean’s 2015 University Rankings places Lakehead University 2nd in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and 1st among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2014, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead 2nd in Ontario and 3rd among Canada’s undergraduate universities.
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