Valentina is a Researcher in the Food Systems Transformation Programme at the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford. She currently contributes to the FOSTER project (Fostering Food System Transformation by Integrating Heterogeneous Perspectives in Knowledge and Innovation within the European Research Area), where she coordinates and supports a range of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary co-learning initiatives that aim to strengthen the European Research Area’s capacity to drive sustainable food system transformation. Her role includes active engagement with a wide range of food system stakeholders, including citizens initiatives and innovation practitioners.
Valentina also supports Oxford’s coordination of the IFSTAL (Interdisciplinary Food Systems Teaching and Learning) programme, which brings together students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds to develop practical skills and interdisciplinary networks that can contribute to food system transformation.
Trained as an agricultural and natural scientist, Valentina holds a PhD in Agricultural, Environmental, and Food Science and Technology from the University of Bologna, where she also worked as a post-graduate and post-doctoral researcher. As part of her doctoral research, she spent two years as a visiting scientist at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), focusing on impact assessment and sustainable food systems policy. Her research explores the interconnected dimensions of food systems, including sustainable farming practices, nature-based solutions, and systemic sustainability assessments of food supply chains. She combines systemic analysis with stakeholder engagement methodologies to inform policy and support the transformation of food systems in Europe and the Mediterranean region.