Center Auditorium

Food trends come and go, but some signal deeper shifts in how we eat, cook, and define wellness. In this session, Kevin Ryan explores the strategic forces shaping the future of food — from rising consumer expectations around health and sustainability to the global influences driving unexpected innovation. You’ll walk away with a curated look at standout products from around the world and a sharper sense of why certain trends are worth your time, and others aren’t.

Speaker: Kevin Ryan

Campus Center Auditorium

Global warming, population numbers, and chronic disease are all increasing, but a new international analyses shows that shifting to plant-centric diets can make us far healthier and be sustainable. Providing delicious, affordable, and inspiring meals will be critical and is urgent.

Speaker: Dr. Walter Willett

Campus Center Auditorium

Consumption of seed oils began in the early 20th century and are now the major oil consumed in the U.S. These oils have been considered healthy for many decades until recently when influencers have labeled all seed oils as one of the worst ingredients in the food supply even calling them the hateful eight. As with all food ingredients, the situation is much more complicated. Many seed oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids which have long be touted as effective nutrients to decrease cholesterol and thus cardiovascular disease. However, omega-6 fatty acids can also increase inflammation. Thus, some scientists believe that we are over consuming omega 6s fatty acids and thus creating unhealthy diets. Seed oils have also been criticized because they go through chemical extraction and refining processes and because they are prone to oxidation. Alternatives to seed oils include extra virgin oil and avocado oils. While fruit oils, especially extra virgin oil oils, have a strong body of evidence of improving health, they are 4-5 times more expensive than seed oil. In addition, fruit oils have low smoke points and flavors that might not be compatible with all cooking techniques. Both fruit and seed oils have a place in a healthy diet if they are cared for properly and used in conjunction with an individual’s nutrition goals.

Speaker: Eric Decker

Campus Center Auditorium

Spending time with Alice Waters is an inspiring experience that transcends mere conversation. As you sit in her presence, there’s an undeniable aura of passion and wisdom emanating from her, borne of decades dedicated to revolutionizing the way we understand food. As she shares stories of founding Chez Panisse, you are drawn into the heart of a movement that has inspired countless chefs and home cooks alike. Alice speaks not just of her accomplishments but also of the principles that guide her work—the importance of nourishing not only our bodies but also the Earth. Each word she shares about the Edible Schoolyard Project is a clarion call for a healthier, more sustainable future, including buying seasonal local and regenerative organic produce directly from famers ~ inspiring you to reflect on your role within this culinary ecosystem. Her accomplishments come alive through the stories she shares, and you will leave enriched with a renewed sense of purpose and the passion to create positive change through food.

Speaker: Alice Waters

Campus Center, 1st floor, Room 163

Bridging Nutrition, Health and Sustainability. How food and Health Professionals Support Planetary Health and Good Food for all

Sustainable food systems provide good nutrition for all in ways that are ecologically and economically beneficial; yet our current food systems have outsized impacts on planetary and public health. In this session, we will explore how food and health professionals can be leaders for change by promoting food choices and practices that protect health and the environment now and in the future.

Speaker: Becky Ramsing

Campus Center Auditorium

The path to an extraordinary meal begins with the seed—where breeding for flavor can revolutionize our food system from the ground up. In an era where corporate giants dominate our seed supply, Barber will discuss how innovative chef-breeder partnerships can create vegetables with exceptional deliciousness while supporting organic growers and connecting people more deeply to their food.

Speaker: Dan Barber

Campus Center, 1st floor, Room 163

Catering to the Digestively Delicate: Common Therapeutic Diets for GI Disorders and Practical Implications for Foodservice

Chronic gastrointestinal symptoms are extremely prevalent among all demographic groups in the United States. Dietary modification is an increasingly common strategy for symptom and disease management within the healthcare establishment, and social media and direct-to-consumer testing is fueling even greater adoption of elimination diets even outside of the traditional provider-patient relationship. In this session, Registered Dietitian Tamara Duker Freuman will share the most common therapeutic diets employed in her clinical nutrition practice, which is embedded in a high-volume NYC gastroenterology clinic, as well as the medical conditions/symptoms that these diets are typically most suited to address. Practical insights as to how principles of these therapeutic diets can be translated into menus and recipe development so as to make food service offerings more inclusive will be offered. The session will also address the growth of less evidence-based ‘food sensitivity testing’ and the challenges that it poses to consumers, healthcare providers, culinarians and foodservice directors alike.

Speaker: Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN

Campus Center, 1st floor, Room 163

Tapping into Gen Z Food Culture to Make Healthy Menu Options Cool and Craveable

Gen Z’s distinct tastes and ideologies are driving a shift toward more sustainable, health-conscious, and purpose-driven food and beverage choices. However, this is a generation that is prioritizing both physical and mental wellness, and they often turn to food as a source of comfort, nostalgia and emotional escape. They don’t want to compromise on taste, which means they are often drawn to products that blend health and indulgence. Gen Z is also increasingly interested in global cuisines, novel flavor fusions and unexpected mashups. This presentation will outline ways to tap into the preferences and motivations of Gen Z to generate interest in healthier menu items.

Speaker: Janet Helm, MS, RDN

Campus Center Auditorium

In this session, Jessica Harris will explore how college dining programs can honor and celebrate diverse cultural food traditions while creating inclusive menus that reflect the identities and dietary needs of students. She will discuss the importance of fostering health and wellness through nutrition-focused meal planning, alongside strategies for promoting engagement and community on campus through food. By understanding the intersection of food, identity, and community, chefs, dietitians, and administrators can transform dining into a meaningful and memorable experience for all students.

Speaker: Dr. Jessica Harris

Campus Center Auditorium

In this lecture, Prof McClements highlights the often strange things food scientists do by talking about some of the diverse research topics he has addressed during his food science career, including testing foods with ultrasound (like bats and dolphins do), going on journeys through the human gastrointestinal tract, nanosizing foods, and creating fake meat and seafood products. He shows how food scientists are often inspired by scientific movies.

Speaker: Dr. Julian McClements

At the Food Bank, attendees will receive an overview of their core services, participate in individual reflection activities, and tour both the Food Bank’ s warehouse and farm. After participating in the off-site activity, Participants will be able to:

1. Describe how collaboration between partners within health care systems and community food systems is essential to promoting access to healthy food.
2. Discuss the intersectional nature of client-centered nutrition interventions designed to advance nutrition and food insecurity.
3. Explain the importance of screening and follow-up for health-related social needs (e.g., economic stability, housing, transportation, and food security) to patient health and well-being.

Lunch will be provided and round-trip transportation from campus to the food bank is available. If you would like to sign up for the transportation to and from campus to the food bank, please email Amelia Mazzuca and Megan Patton-Lopéz with your name, email, and cell phone number.

Worcester Commons

Campus Center, 10th Floor

This presentation will explore the various definitions of food security, describe its prevalence in the Commonwealth and the US, analyze the root causes and its role in exacerbating chronic diseases within the community.

Speakers: Drs. Lorraine Corderio and Megan Patton-Lopez

Worcester Commons

Kristy Del Coro-Reimagining the Greek Kitchen: A Fresh Take on Mediterranean Tradition and Timeless Flavors
Steve Petusevsky-New twist on the Mediterranean Diet

Worcester Commons

Participants will enjoy the wonderful food that they have just prepared.

Campus Center, 10th Floor

With a breadth of experience spanning nutrition policy, research and education for adults and children, Jasmine shares her love of food and health across many groups. Her work at Community Servings began with conducting nutrition assessments, counseling and education for clients that receive medically tailored meals and food boxes. Her current work is in developing Community Servings’ new Culinary Medicine program, which teaches medical students in the Boston area to gain knowledge in the science of nutrition and medicine while gaining capacity in cooking nourishing meals.

Speaker: Jasmine Ipince MPH, RDN, LDN

Campus Center, 10th Floor

This presentation by Julie Mennella, PhD, MS will describe her work on the development of flavor senses, early nutritional programming, and the effects of alcohol and tobacco use on women’s health and physiology. The talk will reveal that volatiles from the mother’s diet can flavor her amniotic fluid and human milk and that there are sensitive periods during the first few months in which flavor experiences impact later preferences.

Speaker: Julie Mennella, PhD, MS

Campus Center, 10th Floor

Dr. Eagleson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at UMass Chan-Baystate. She currently practices at the Baystate Brightwood Health Center/ Centro de Salud in the North End of Springfield. Her clinical interests include food and nutrition security as well as diabetes management. In addition to her primary care practice, she co-directs a residency training track for primary care, community, and population health. She will be providing a real-world experience in how she implements the Food is Medicine concept in her everyday practice.

Speaker: Beth Eagleson MD

Student Union Ballroom