RE-TASTY
Research - Transformative Actions for Sustainability Together with Youth
Our vision
The vision of RE-TASTY is to create a community of young citizen scientists in secondary schools who, through their own research and action, can monitor and bring change into the food culture of the school making it healthier and more sustainable. This is an innovative educational project that envisions to contribute to:
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​the development of scientific knowledge and of new knowledge resources on how to incorporate citizen science through a Whole School Food Approach framework for youth and for schools in general
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the re-thinking and co-designing by students of educational school food-related policies
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the development of the knowledge, skills and competencies of youth in relation to school food
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gradual changes in the way of thinking, attitudes and values in relation to school food health and sustainability. Ultimately, this will contribute to a change in food behavior of both the school and the students. This can then be passed on also to the parents and caregivers.
Our team
Maria Neocleous Maliotou: As the coordinator and manager of this citizen science food project, I am involved in all parts of its implementation. With a background in first Food Science and later on in Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development, this project allows me to combine my backgrounds in order to inspire and engage students in healthy and sustainable school food systems. I enjoy researching and creating new knowledge and I am enthusiastic in passing this also to students and future scientists. I believe that students, as the future generation of this planet, should be given the opportunity and the voice to get involved in topics such as health and sustainability in eating. Through researching their own school food system, they can propose actions and be themselves producers of knowledge and agents of change.
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Valentina C. Tassone: As advisor of this citizen science food project, I will be contributing to its development and implementation. I work as Assistant Professor in sustainability education at Wageningen University. My work focuses on exploring participatory educational design and deep pedagogies that support processes of transformation of people and practices, that empower learners to re-think their relationship with the (natural) world and to engage responsibly with socio-ecological sustainability challenges as for example food challenges.