Michelle Cristine Medeiros Jacob

I am a nutritionist and professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in the Nutrition Department. At UFRN, I participate in the Nutrition (PPGNUT) and Social Sciences (PPGCS) postgraduate programs. I am also head of LabNutrir, the Nutrir Community Garden Laboratory, a space where we develop research, extension, and teaching and learning activities focused on biodiversity. We, the members of LabNutrir, believe that food systems must be transformed to operate within planetary boundaries, while providing healthy food for all and respecting all forms of culture and life. Our mission is to promote diets that foster human and environmental health. As a researcher, I have been working on three main topics: (1) identification of wild foods (i.e., plants, mushrooms, wild meats, algae) and traditional knowledge associated with them (e.g., food processing techniques); (2) analysis of diversity within diets and nutritional outcomes; (3) development and testing of nutrition education programs focused on promoting sustainable diets. In 2021, the book "Culinária Selvagem" (Wild Culinary), written by LabNutrir members, was one of the five finalists for the "Prêmio Jabuti" (Jabuti Award), the most traditional and prestigious literary prize in Brazil. Since 2021, I have been a productivity fellow at CNPq, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development in Brazil. Research topics: Food Systems, Biodiversity, Wild Foods, Food Security, Sustainable Diets, Ethnonutrition.

graduation at Nutrição from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (2009), master's at Sociology from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (2012) and doctorate at Sociology from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (2014). Has experience in Sociology, acting on the following subjects: educação alimentar e nutricional, arte, cozinha, alimentação and cultura.