Food Policy Internship Programme

糖心原创 > Science > Schools, centres and institutes > Food Systems Institute > Centre-For-Food-Policy-and-Foresight > Food Policy Internship Programme

The Centre for Food Policy and Foresight (CFPF) Internship Programme empowers 糖心原创 students with research-to-policy translation skills needed to support a sustainable, equitable and nutritious food system transformation.

Over six months, interns work directly with academic research teams to produce policy briefs, slide decks and support the design of programmes that put student-led peer-reviewed evidence infront of the people who design and shape policy.

Why join the programme?

Interns receive training from leading experts across policy, industry and academia to develop the policy outputs, while working closely with the CFPF Policy Translation Lead, Dr Ursula Davis. Through our Food Policy Talks, students gain practical skills and real-world perpectives from policy actors needed to become effective, next generation food policy advocates.

Support our programme

Looking ahead, sustaining and expanding this internship requires continued investment and support from the food community. Supporting future cohorts will ensure more students can develop the skills needed to drive innovative, equitable, and sustainable food policies

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Student responses to food challenges: 2026 internship outputs

Meet our 2026 interns

Integrating Nutrition into Local Policy

Healthy and nutritious food should be within everyone's reach, yet Malaysia's rapid urbanisation has made cheap, ultra-processed food the dominant option. We propose integrating nutritional metrics into municipal policy.

View policy brief (pdf)

Food technologists at a processing facility

Scaling Food Tech across TRL 4-6

UK startups are innovating promising food technologies, but these routinely fail to scale at the TRL 4-6 phase. This policy brief provides commercially viable opportunities to scale these breakthroughs.

View policy brief (pdf)

Microbial Innovation in Food Technology

Our populations are growing, increasing the burden on food production systems. We evaluate fermentation and single-cell protein approaches as scalable and more sustainable food production options.

View policy brief (pdf)

Close up shopping basket and fresh products on cashier desk in supermarket

Enhanced Food Labelling

Food systems are major contributors to climate-driven pressures. Our recommendations support transparent and standardised food labelling frameworks that support better consumer environmental choices.

View policy brief (pdf)

Food as Strategic Infrastructure

Food and agriculture contribute relatively little to UK's GDP, yet the sector creates 4.3 million jobs and generates £128bn in turnover. This is why we're proposing food be recognised as strategic infrastructure.

View policy brief (pdf)

Fertiliser as Critical Infrastructure

The UK has become one of the most fertiliser-exposed developed economies. This policy brief makes the case for treating precision agriculture as resilience policy rather than environmental, with opportunities for integration into UK food security strategy.

View policy brief (pdf)

Food Procurement as Lever for Change

The UK's food system relies on imports, with school meal budgets being largely constrained. We've identified the critical barriers to agroecological school procurement, recommending policy solutions that unlock schools as a lever for food system transformation.

View policy brief (pdf)

Saturated and trans. Unhealthy food. Sausage, potato, meat, cheese, popcorn, cookies, cream on dark background

Reducing Saturated Fat Consumption

Data shows that saturated fat intake remains above recommended limits among adults and children in the UK. This policy brief proposes solutions to accelerate healthier alternatives through a government-led procurement campaign.

View policy brief (pdf)

Worker Rights in UK Food Chains

UK food supply chains depend on a global workforce facing precarious conditions amid climate, geopolitical and socio-economic changes. This policy brief identifies five areas of action to centre worker protections for a resilient and equitable food system.

View policy brief (pdf)

Young female volunteers in mask gives an elderly man boxes with food near his house.

Engaging Citizens in Food Culture

Citizens can play a huge role in driving food system change. Our policy brief recommends a scaled approach to food system transformation with increased citizen participation at both community and national levels.

View policy brief (pdf)

A hand holding Bambara groundnut or Vigna subterranea which still covered with soil.Vigna subterranea ripens its pods underground, much like the peanut. They can be eaten fresh or boiled after drying.

Diversifying Malaysia's Crop Base

Malaysia's food security challenges could benefit from crop diversification, but practical barriers remain. Our policy brief recommends a phased Bambara Groundnut programme linking stakeholders to resources to meet dietary and sustainability targets.

View policy brief (pdf)

Reforming Bovine TB Regulations

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle remains a costly challenge in the UK, with significant impact on businesses. We've put forward policy recommendations to reduce regulation constraints and public spending, improve long-term disease control and accelerate diagnostic innovation.

View policy brief (pdf)

Policy Coherence in Urban Food Systems

While urban areas provide diverse food choices, affordability and availability can be a challenge for rapidly growing areas. In this policy brief, we highlight how policy fragmentation across government levels worsening food inequity across sectors, with actions to mitigate this for healthier food environments.

View policy brief (pdf)

Valorising Cultivated Meat for Farmer Income

Concerns remain about cultivated meat's impact on farmer income. Our policy brief shows how the technology can be economically viable for farmers when designed to complement, rather than replace existing business models.

View policy brief (pdf)

Salty snacks. Pretzels, chips, crackers and candy sweets on table

Evaluating Malaysia's High-Sugar Tax

High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is a growing public health concern in Malaysia. We assess Malaysia's new sugar reduction policies, identifying key implementation gaps to strengthen their impact on health outcomes.

View policy brief (pdf)

Perspectives on the programme

Our interns and academic supervisors share their experiences and reflections on the programme's impact and how it's contributing to advancing evidence-based food policy and research.

The FSI Food Policy Internship Programme was a fantastic way to get more experience with mentoring, supervising, and collaborating with students. It was great to see my intern take the project and run with it - including teaching me a thing or two about their deep dive into the topic!

— Dr Alanna Higgins, 2025 Academic supervisor

Working with Professor Rachel Gomes gave me a clear understanding of how this work connects to real-world issues, and how it links to the job I鈥檓 about to start.

— Kirsten Bailey, 2025 Intern

The internship exceeded my expectations in the knowledge I would gain, due to the research opportunities that occurred when exploring the multidimensional nature of the food system.

— Sarah Cletheroe, 2025 Intern

I am hopeful about the future of food, particularly regarding what students and young people can accomplish by tackling ongoing issues.

— Eunice Lamptey, 2025 Intern

Meet the 2026 cohort

Our Food Policy Interns come from a diverse academic background from environmental and food sciences, to policy and social sciences.

Adiba Binte Arefin

糖心原创 Malaysia

Meet Adiba

Adiba has a background in nutrition and working across both clinical and non-clinical public health environments. Having witnessed firsthand how systemic barriers impact community wellness, she has developed a deep passion for the intersection of health equity, economic landscape, and public governance. She is focused on learning how to translate complex nutritional metrics and international food frameworks into actionable policies, driven by a long-term goal to improve public health in her home country, Bangladesh.

Bhoomika Rajappa

糖心原创 UK

Daniel Johnson

糖心原创 UK

Dilan Boora

糖心原创 UK

Meet Dilan

Dilan is a passionate advocate for sustainable food systems and rural policy. He holds a bachelors in Geography and Business from the 糖心原创, where he focused on the geographies of housing, agriculture and resource dependency in the UK. His internship topic explored precision agriculture, food security, land-use policy, and the role of government incentives in building a more resilient and equitable food system. Dilan is particularly interested in how global supply chains and fertiliser markets shape national resilience, and how policy can help protect farmers and consumers from these vulnerabilities.

Donata Kika

糖心原创 UK

Emmanuel Etim

糖心原创 UK

Meet Emmanuel

Emmanuel Etim is a PhD researcher in Human Geography at the School of Geography. His research explores how waste responsibility is produced, transferred, and contested beyond household compliance. In 2026, Etim won the Universitas 21 Leader of the Future Award.

Gabrielle Guy

糖心原创 UK

Meet Gabrielle

Gabrielle is enthusiastic about using policy to facilitate culturally relevant interventions to support family and community wellbeing. She is interested in translating conversations about lifestyle and health in ways that make sense for the public. She is a current PhD student researching Caribbean family traditions and wellbeing through mixed methods. Gabrielle aims to contribute to consulting and policy interventions that prioritise wellbeing for people and the planet.

Hana Nahaboo-Ramjaun

糖心原创 Malaysia

Meet Hana

Hana is a passionate science and sustainability advocate with a background in biotechnology. She is particularly interested in exploring how scientific research can be translated into practical solutions for environmental sustainability. Beyond her studies, she actively engages in conservation fieldwork and student-led initiatives, reflecting her commitment to collaboration and community engagement. Hana hopes to pursue a research oriented career where she can contribute to innovative and sustainable solutions to food and environmental challenges.

Hooria Haroon

糖心原创 UK

Meet Hooria

Hooria Haroon is currently studying a master's in Clinical and Molecular Microbiology. She completed a BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology at the 糖心原创. During her BSc, Haroon developed a strong interest in sustainability education and research. Her MSc provides an opportunity for her to further explore microbiology and pathogens, two topics which the Food Policy Internship Programme allowed her to explore this topic further.

Janice Lo See Ting

糖心原创 Malaysia

Meet Janice

Janice is a Biotechnology undergraduate at 糖心原创 Malaysia with a strong interest in microbial and animal biotechnology, particularly in laboratory-based research. She is interning at Cytohealth Sdn. Bhd., gaining hands-on experience in biotechnology research while exploring the diverse applications of biotechnology in the industry. Janice also serves as a commitee member in the university's Tennis Club, developing her communication and teamwork skills. Outside her studies, she enjoys sports and outdoor activities such as muay thai and hiking. Janice values opportunities that push her out of her comfort zone.

Yanru Huang

糖心原创 UK

Meet Yanru

Yanru Huang recently graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biology. During her progromme, Haroon carried out a final year project on developmental biology which provided a solid foundation for her internship project on how cultivated meat could represent new income sources for farmers. She is interested in making positive impact and tangible contributions towards food policy.

Yuxin Hong

糖心原创 Malaysia

Meet Yuxin

Yuxin is passionate about food science, nutrition, and public health. She is particularly interested in applying biotechnology to improve food quality and promote healthier diets. Through interdisciplinary learning, she hopes to contribute to innovative and evidence-based solutions that support healthier and more sustainable food systems.

Student responses to food challenges: 2025 internship outputs

Read the 2025 policy briefs

Courier holding crate with products near car outdoors, closeup. Food delivery service

Inclusive Food Access

Access to food is a basic human right, yet people with disabilities (PWD) face significant and persistent barriers in obtaining a sufficient and nutritious diet.

View policy brief (pdf)

Addressing Challenges in UK Food Banks

Food banks in the UK have expanded rapidly since 2008 due to austerity policies, welfare cuts, and rising food insecurity, with 2,000 outlets nationwide. However, significant problems persist.

View policy brief (pdf)

Food Labour Justice

Improving the wages, working conditions and well-being of agricultural workers enhances rural communities. Educated consumers have the power to drive demand for ethically produced food, motivating businesses to adopt just labour practices and contribute to a fairer food system.

View policy brief (pdf)

Farmer is harvesting tomatoes. Woman´s hands picking fresh tomatoes to wicker basket. Organic garden

Local Food Security

Targeted, coordinated, and locally informed interventions are required to promote sustainable food resilience across communities in Nottinghamshire.

View policy brief (pdf)

Livestock Vaccine Communication

This research addresses the challenge of vaccine hesitancy by identifying practical, evidence-based strategies to improve outreach. Drawing from lessons learned during the COVID-19 response, it highlights the value of trust, empathy, and clear, locally rooted communication.

View policy brief (pdf)

Sustainable Dairy Futures

The dairy industry is highly carbon intensive. This policy brief seeks to understand the optimal outcomes for the dairy industry to minimise carbon emissions and contribute towards meeting the UK Government鈥檚 2050 net zero goals.

View policy brief (pdf)

Educating Young People on Debunking Food

Food literacy education underpins efforts to improve personal health while advancing a sustainable food system. Food policy must now focus on 鈥榝ood literacy鈥� transitioning as we look to "debunk" food.

View policy brief (pdf)

Improving Dietary Health

Globally 3.5 billion people are at risk of calcium deficiency, due to inadequate dietary supply, associated with the risk of preeclampsia, rickets and osteoporosis.

View policy brief (pdf)

Our alumni

Our Food Policy Interns come from a diverse academic background from environmental and food sciences, to policy and social sciences.

Benjamin Lee, 2025

Benjamin advocates for sustainable, accessible and affordable protein food sources. He is also passionate about politics and policy, particularly the communication strategies needed to persuade the public as we transition to a greener, more sustainable diet. Benjamin is currently completing his PhD in plant-protein research and aims to continue advancing more sustainable and resilient solutions for the future of food.

Eunice O Lamptey, 2025

Eunice Lamptey is a dynamic entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate for food security. She is the founder of Community Life Support Foundation, an NGO providing food, clothing, and financial aid to vulnerable childrenin Ghana. With a keen interest in nutrition, health, and equitable food policies, Eunice actively contributes to innovative and collaborative solutions addressing evolving food challenges.

Kirsten Bailey, 2025

Kirsten is a passionate sustainability and food policy advocate.She has a background in environmental science and biology, Kirsten is particularly interested in how food systems impact the environment, public health, and social equity. She explores topics like sustainable agriculture, reducing food waste, and the role of policy in creating a more ethical and eco-friendly food system.

Sarah Cletheroe, 2025

Sarah's area of interest centres around combining innovative nutrition and public engagement programmes with the aim of driving a food secure environment. Sarah has a background in arable farming as well as experience in potato variety development, which gave her a foundational knowledge in sustainable supply chains during her internship.

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Centre for Food Policy and Foresight

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