University Calendar
Sustainable Food Systems: The Role of Expertise
About Dr. Andrew Berardy
Dr. Andrew Berardy is a sustainability scientist with a focus on food systems. His research evaluates all stages of the food life cycle and assesses potential alternatives or improvements that reduce vulnerability and improve environmental performance. He is a postdoctoral scholar with the Food Systems Transformation Initiative, where he leads and supports collaborative research on vital issues for the creation of a sustainable food system. His first postdoctoral appointment was performing an assessment of agricultural vulnerability in Arizona's food-energy-water nexus in response to anticipated effects of climate change and identifying strategies for adaptation. Dr. Berardy's work also includes life cycle assessment, studying consumer behavior, and expertise development and evaluation.
About the Seminar
Wicked problems hinder the development of a sustainable food system. Behavioral change may be a potential solution, but information alone cannot create such change. Development of interactional competence grounded by accurate information can facilitate better decision-making. I describe my work on soy protein isolate and the food-energy-water nexus in Arizona as examples of research intended to empower stakeholders while also demonstrating how to teach for interactional competence. Finally, I explore the potential to utilize meaningful happiness as a motivating factor in making more sustainable choices regarding diet.