In Australia, addressing the issue of food waste is considered a complex problem that involves constantly shifting environmental, economic, social, and ethical dynamics. To effectively tackle these interdisciplinary challenges, researchers must take a comprehensive approach to collecting evidence.

However, while academic work has evolved greatly in the past six decades, the doctoral curriculum has remained largely unchanged. As a result, graduates need to possess adaptability and ingenuity to lead projects in a rapidly changing environment, bridging the gap between traditional thesis-based research and the needs of industry and government.

This week on the Food Waste Matters Podcast, we bring you three separate episodes, spread over three days, with the academics who are in amongst both research and industry under the Future Leaders Program.

In these episodes, you will hear from the following voices and their topics of research:

Part One:

• Tangerine Holt, KPMG

• Olav Muurlink, CQU

• Hannah Churton, QUT

  Policy, regulation and legislation barriers, opportunities and recommendations to maximise utilisation of food waste and food bi-products

• Stephanie Bayancela, University of Adelaide

  Transition towards circular economy in Australian agrifood supply chains

Part Two:

• Hector Vera Wood, UQ

  Developing innovative formulations of biobased controlled release fertilisers

• Mary Addae, UQ

  Cost benefit analysis of compost use in Australia

Part Three:

• Shanmugam Alagappan, UQ

  Optimising and industrialising black soldier fly (BSF) production - redirecting food waste to livestock feed production using insects

• Alexis Chung, Curtin University

  Finding opportunity to use abalone organs to use for functional human outcomes

• Melinda Nguyen, University of Adelaide

  Development of advanced materials for food packaging

To find out more about the Future Leaders Program and End Food Waste Australia, please visit ⁠https://endfoodwaste.com.au/projects/future-leaders-program⁠.

A big thank you to all the students for their time and dedication in fighting against food waste.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit ⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.