Undergraduate registration has begun!

This fall, GFI is expanding its course offerings to give our students a deeper understanding of the complex systems shaping our food world. From offering hands-on, real-world experience providing nutrition education to exploring how the role of women can be studied in the context of climate change and food security, we are building on the foundational coursework we first offered last year.

Take a look at the courses we’re offering this fall!

Note: Some of the courses are in the final process of being approved to post in the Fall 2025 Schedule of Classes.  Be patient!  They will be there shortly. 

Upcoming Events

On Thursday, April 10, learn about the historical roots of systemic inequities and solutions for Black farmers' empowerment in Tracing the Legacy: Black Farmers and the Fight for Equity, led by series host Dr. Mya O. Price and co-hosted by GW's Global Food Institute, GW's Equity Institute, and GW's Department of History.

This series will educate, inspire, and motivate students, faculty, policymakers, farmers, and other stakeholders who want to elevate the impact of Black farmers in their community.

12 - 12:30pm: Lunch Reception
12:30 - 1:35pm: Opening and Panel Discussion
1:35 - 2pm: Q&A with Audience & Closing

GW Science and Engineering Hall
Lehman Auditorium / B1270

Virtual Option Available

On Friday, April 11, the GW community is invited to learn more about the impacts and the future of foreign aid at the Foreign Aid Teach-In, a day of roundtable discussions reflecting on the state of U.S. foreign aid for the purpose of educating the GW community.

GFI will host a roundtable discussion about food assistance with Eric Mitchell, President of the Alliance to End Hunger, and Erin Kolodjeski of the House Appropriations Committee (other panelists pending).

Event sponsors: The Humanitarian Action Initiative; Gender Equality in International Affairs (GEIA); Global Food Institute; The Global Women's Institute (GWI); The Institute for Public Diplomacy & Global Communications; The GW Media and Peacebuilding Project; The Milken Institute School of Public Health; International Development Studies Program; Refugee Educational Advancement Laboratory (REAL); Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness

Come to a Building System Dynamics Connections Seminar on Thursday, April 20, from 12-1pm, with presenter Caitlin Grady, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering.

The session will take place at 1919 Pennsylvania Avenue on the Mezzanine level.

If you have any questions or would like to share ideas for upcoming sessions and/or collaborations, please reach out to Sydney Pryor at sydneypryor@gwu.edu. Feel free to invite others who might be interested!

On Friday, April 25 from 9am - 2:30pm in Duques 254, join the Sustainable Chocolate Workshop - including a Sustainable Chocolate Tasting!

The Cocoa, Carbon and Community (C3) project has partnered with impact investors to adopt innovative strategies to promote greater productivity, lower carbon, and prosperous cocoa communities in Trinidad and Tobago. The Workshop provides a forum to: discuss how the ‘lessons learned’ from the C3 project could be expanded to improving sustainable supply chains in other countries’ cocoa sectors and other global commodity supply chains; and, discuss industry perspectives on current practices and future efforts to enhance sustainable global supply chains.

Join GFI Affiliate Faculty Masha Belenky and Lynn Westwater, part of GW’s Department of Romance, German and Slavic Studies (RGSS), for the final installment of a romance language movie series centered around food.

Snacks will be provided!

Sunday, April 27
6 - 8pm
Phillips Hall 209

Chocolat (2000)
dir. Lasse Hallström

A rural French town is shaken up when a woman and her young child move to the town and open a chocolate shop that disrupts the Catholic traditions of the town.

As part of GW's Milken Institute School of Public Health's Research Day on Wednesday, April 16, GFI will sponsor four prizes to recognize presentations that describe how to achieve equitable access to healthy foods through improved production, storage, distribution, and pricing.

Be sure to stop by GWSPH’s Research Day, and stay tuned for information about the winning presentations!

Developing countries experiencing rapid urbanization, tenuous global supply chains, and a changing climate face a critical challenge – food security. 

GFI, in partnership with the College of Professional Studies, will offer graduate students the opportunity to explore this challenge firsthand, immersing them for two weeks in Cape Town, South Africa. Taught by GFI Affiliate Faculty member Mesbah Motamed, the summer short course, "South Africa: Urban Food Security in the Developing World," will invite students to examine the links between agriculture, nutrition, urbanization, poverty, and economic growth. 

Participants will engage with farmers, food distributors, policymakers, and city planners to examine the key drivers of urban food security in developing countries.

The deadline to apply is Monday, April 28.

Are you interested in taking a unique elective course at GW's School of Medicine? Fundamentals of Culinary Medicine (CULI 1810) teaches undergraduate students the practical skills to realistically apply nutrition concepts to impact your life and those around you through great tasting food that happens to be good for you.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of nutrition and application of nutrition principles through culinary medicine. The course includes hands-on cooking classes, didactic lectures, guest speakers and field trips. Topics covered include basic nutrition concepts, evaluating research, recipe development and modification, food security and barriers to healthy eating, inflammation and an anti-inflammatory diet, food allergies and intolerances, and food policy.

Classes are held in-person at the Seva Teaching Kitchen. For the Summer 2025 semester, classes will be held from May 19-June 28, Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30-noon.

The mission of the conference is to bring together a group of active and passionate students to share ideas and resources around creating and maintaining student farms and initiatives to further sustainable agriculture, food justice, and other related matters.

Date: Saturday, April 5

Location: Lafayette College, Easton, PA

The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University announces the T. A. Thornton Scholars Summer Research Experience for Summer 2025. We are currently accepting applications for four (4) summer research positions. These internships will be for eight to ten weeks, beginning in late May or early June 2025. Students will work on projects for up to 35 hours a week with remote, hybrid, and in-person roles available (see position descriptions for details). 

In addition to numerous opportunities to advance one’s learning in a highly collaborative and dynamic environment, these are paid internships.

Application deadline: Friday, April 4

Eligibility and Qualifications:

Stipend:

A stipend of $22/hour will be paid (the total stipend amount will depend on the total number of hours worked). There is potential for a housing allowance.

For questions, contact FriedmanSummerResearch@tufts.edu.

The REACH Center Climate and Health Research Fellowship is now accepting applications for the 2025 cohort! This fellowship is designed to support outstanding students who demonstrate academic excellence, have a strong interest in community-engaged work, and show a deep commitment to advancing health and environmental justice through equitable climate solutions. The program provides an enriching experience that includes mentorship, professional development, and financial support to help students achieve their goals.

Application Requirements

Interested applicants must submit the following materials:

Application Timeline

Application Deadline: Sunday, April 13 (11:59 PM EST)
Fellowship Program Dates: Tuesday, May 27 - Monday, December 8

With thousands of people interacting with and recreating on waters in the District of Columbia each year, it’s essential for the public to have current water quality data that may directly impact their well-being and health.

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is running a volunteer water quality monitoring program in D.C. Students are invited to monitor the Potomac River this summer. The program is flexible and volunteers may participate as many times as they would like. The closest sites to monitor are the Washington Canoe Club and Thompson Boat Center.

After attending a training session, attending an in-person demo, and passing a certification test, volunteers can help collect water quality samples. There are two training sessions coming up, with more to come later in the summer (only need to attend one):

Wednesday, April 9
12-1pm
Virtual (Zoom)

Saturday, April 12
2-4pm
In-person
Southwest Library
900 Wesley Pl SW
Washington, DC 20024

Are you looking to pursue a career in food policy? Apply to become a candidate for the Food Policy Pathways program — an incredible opportunity to gain the skills, confidence, and network needed to drive responsible food policy forward.

As part of this program, you'll join a community of exceptional food policy professionals working to strengthen American agriculture, protect public health, and foster economic opportunity across the country.

One of the esteemed mentors you will have the chance to engage with is Stacy Dean, Carbonell Executive Director of the Global Food Institute.

 Don’t miss out — apply now and take the next step in your food policy journey!

We want to lift up your work and share information about events, opportunities to collaborate or whatever you think is important to share. Email us at globalfoodinstitute@gwu.edu.