Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Universities and Student Food Security  | Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Universities and Student Food Security 

 

Department / Academic Unit: Community Engaged Scholarship Institute

Description of the Area/Topic of Research 

There is a growing body of data showing that university students experience high rates of food insecurity. Small scale studies have shown connections between food insecurity and poor diet, poor mental health, and lower grades. These challenges are not evenly distributed: students with dependents, racialized, domestic, international, undergraduate and graduate students often face differing barriers due to systemic inequities, caregiving responsibilities, and limited access to financial aid or employment. While student-run foodbanks have long been ubiquitous on university campuses (the University of Guelph’s student foodbank, founded more than 20yrs ago, is amongst the oldest), new forms of food-provisioning are expanding on many campuses. These include food markets, affordable food outlets and/or meals, food prescription programs, and community gardens and farms, and have a range of leadership models including student-led, staff / institution-led, and hybrid. Indeed, many universities, including U of G, now have food security committees tasked with marshalling the many facets and assets of a university in “addressing student food insecurity.”

These initiatives must be placed in context, however. They emerge amidst universities’ long-standing, multi-million-dollar programs of needs-based financial aid (low income is the primary driver of food insecurity), as well the expanding set of programs and policies aimed at providing for students’ basic needs (e.g., housing) and supporting their overall health and wellbeing more generally (e.g., mental health strategies, sexual / gender violence policies). While this suggests Universities' responsibilities to students are growing, it has coincided with a decades-long stagnation in the operating grants Ontario provides to its post-secondary institutions. It is unclear then, where Universities’ responsibilities should end and where others’ (e.g., various levels of governments) responsibilities should begin.

Since fall 2024, a research team led by Dr. Gwen Chapman (U of G professor with expertise in community food security and community nutrition, and former U of G Provost and Vice-President Academic), Sam Laban (Facilitator of the Guelph Lab, a social innovation lab that is a collaboration between the University of Guelph and the City of Guelph), Dr. Melinda Scott (U of G Vice-Provost, Student Affairs), and Dr. Liz Jackson (Director of U of G’s Community Engaged Scholarship Institute), has been exploring research questions that emerge from this context:

  • What opportunities and possibilities are there for universities and university communities to address food insecurity? And what constrains their ability to act? 
  • What forms of leadership and change-making are used in strategies to address student food insecurity and other campus issues? What influences the effectiveness of different strategies?
  • What is the nature of the evolving social contract between universities and students, particularly in relation to issues of student well-being, such as food insecurity? What are the roles and responsibilities of different actors and groups?


This research team has engaged with collaborators across U of G and other universities to understand current and planned food insecurity initiatives. The team is now seeking a postdoctoral researcher to lead deeper exploration of the above research questions.

The postdoctoral researcher will work closely with university stakeholders, including administrative staff, student groups, food security initiatives, and external partners to explore the context, assumptions, and principles underpinning food insecurity work on campuses. Findings will inform policy development and generate evidence that can influence institutional practices and action plans. In addition, the team aims to generate findings that have broader applicability to understand the dimensions of student food insecurity, potentially influencing food security policies and programs at universities across Canada and provide a set of guiding principles to inform how universities can address the diverse needs of students facing food insecurity. 

The research will use principles of community-engaged scholarship, collaborating with practitioners within the university and at other institutions. The postdoctoral position will have the opportunity to engage with other thought leaders to refine and provide a deeper understanding of the role of universities when responding to food security. This research work will lead to generating a set of guiding principles to inform how universities and the community could address student food insecurity.

Description of Lab/Group/Area 

This is a project of the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute (CESI), an institute at the University of Guelph that supports community-university collaborative research aiming to address pressing social issues through research partnerships built on principles of knowledge-sharing, anti-oppression, and social impact. CESI works to develop, implement and support evidence-informed, rigorous practices of critical community-engaged scholarship and knowledge mobilization. 

The postdoctoral scholar will join an interdisciplinary, collaborative research team and will be supported in shaping and leading the project outlined above. They will have access to office space and standard institutional resources, including photocopying services, library facilities, and other administrative support. All members of the research team are respected and appreciated for their distinct expertise and meaningful contributions.

The position will be supervised by the team of researchers with Dr. Gwen Chapman as leader. Together, the team brings extensive experience in community partnerships and collaborative research design, with a strong focus on food security and the social determinants that affect food practices and inequities. Their expertise also includes the development and management of community- based projects and partnerships.

This position offers the opportunity to develop project management skills, gain experience leading community engaged research, and enhance academic and clear language communication skills, both oral and written. Additionally, the role provides the chance to lead and develop research initiatives aimed at addressing student food insecurity, particularly within the university community, helping to provide a clear vision of what is needed to develop appropriate initiatives to address this issue. Other opportunities for growth, tailored to the skills and learning goals of the successful candidate, will also be explored.

General Outline of Duties 

The postdoctoral scholar will lead the design, implementation and knowledge mobilization of the above-described research. This will include: 

  • Refining the key research questions and related research design.
  • Overseeing all aspects of the research process, including ethics approval, literature review, data collection, analysis, and the reporting of findings to practitioner and scholarly communities.
  • Developing and delivering project outcomes and deliverables.
  • Providing regular updates to, and participating in broader discussions with, the research team.
  • Creating and delivering public presentations, reports, and/or other knowledge sharing outputs on the research process, findings, and recommendations to working groups involved in food security at the University, the community, and other relevant stakeholders.
  • Communicating research process and findings to the scholarly community through conference presentations and research publications.
  • Contributing to the collaborative and scholarly environment of the research team.
  • This position will require some in-person work in Guelph, but most work can be completed remotely. Office space is available for those that choose to work full-time in Guelph.

Required Qualifications 

The successful candidate will: 

  • Hold a PhD in a relevant field, such as Health Policy, Education Leadership and Policy, Food Policy, or another closely related discipline.
  • Have expertise in primary research methods (interviews, focus groups, surveys) and research design.
  • Have demonstrated ability to think creatively and synthesize research findings, including for non-academic audiences (e.g., through the development of tools and/or guidelines).
  • Have exceptional writing and oral communication skills in English.
  • Show excellent project management and organizational abilities.
  • Demonstrate interest and/or experience in qualitative research.
  • Have experience with research ethics applications. 
  • Have experience or a strong interest in conducting research in collaboration with communities (i.e., community-engaged research).
  • Be interested in, or experienced in, group facilitation (discussions, workshops).
  • Be committed to conducting equity-oriented research in areas such as food security, particularly for populations experiencing vulnerability, including students and/or marginalized groups.

Start Date & Duration of Appointment: 1 Year, July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 with the possibility of extension 

Anticipated Hours/Days of Work (at time of posting): 35 hours weekly (flexible) 

Salary Information: Annual salary of up to $65,000 plus benefits

Supervisor: Sam Laban

Application Requirements

 

  • Applications should be submitted here.

  • Cover letter: should include summary of research experience and experience relevant to research topic.
  • Curriculum vitae (CV): should include list of publications
  • Writing sample: e.g., either or both of academic and practitioner facing publications
  • When submitting your documents, please ensure each file is named using the following format: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_COVERLETTER, LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_CV, and LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_WRITINGSAMPLE

Special Instructions 

  • For any questions about this opportunity, please contact Sam Laban, Facilitator of the Guelph Lab, at SLaban@uoguelph.ca 
  • All applicants will be notified regarding the outcome of their application.

The University of Guelph is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging. We actively encourage applications from all qualified individuals, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups within academia. We deeply value the knowledge and expertise that equity-deserving communities bring to our institution. 

Contact Information

Sam Laban, slaban@uoguelph.ca

 

Posting Date: Tue, 04/29/2025

Closing Date: Sun, 05/25/2025