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Guidelines to suggest and vote for a topic

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Guidelines to suggest and vote for a topic

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The SCAF Unconference will take place on 5th September, 10 - 1pm, followed by lunch. At an unconference, the agenda and topics for discussion are created collaboratively by you and the other attendees. Everyone is welcome to suggest a topic and/or facilitate a session. There will be 3 time slots of varying lengths (up to one hour) split across up to 5 spaces.

To suggest a session: Please include a title, short description, name of the presenter/facilitator, session length, and place [indoor, outdoor, open space]

To express your interest in an already suggested session, please use the heart button on the bottom left of each post

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Discussion - Should SCAF develop an alternative publishing model?

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Discussion - Should SCAF develop an alternative publishing model?

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Discussing whether an open-access, community-owned, research users focused avenue to share findings is needed - with an innovative mindset when it comes to presenting findings in a usable format, reviewing, disseminating etc...

Suggested by: Emilie

where: small room

time: 30-45 min conversation in a small group

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Quantum Technologies for the Food Sector

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Quantum Technologies for the Food Sector

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The quantum revolution has already begun, bringing exciting advancements in technology, and promising huge benefits for many industries.

There is a great opportunity to move early and map the Scottish food sector's challenges to the current and future capabilities of quantum tech, to ensure Scotland is well placed to take advantage of these breakthroughs.

Suggested by: Jack Brennan

Space: anywhere

Activity: introduction to quantum tech and capabilities, then small groups discussing challenges that may map well to these. Seeding ideas for larger workshop a month later.

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This is a request to also share few points, even if it is just 5-7 bullet points that was discussed during these sessions, and share with the online attendees of the event, would be great

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Discuss the further expansion/adaptation of the Scottish Mobile Teaching Kitchen model.

Suggested by: Sumantra Ray (NNEdPro)

Space: Anywhere

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Bridging the Gap: Academia ↔ SME Nutrition Businesses

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Bridging the Gap: Academia ↔ SME Nutrition Businesses

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How can universities and independent practitioners co-create evidence without high-cost trials?

Traditional RCTs are important, but they’re not the only way to generate credible nutrition evidence. Independent practitioners are generating insights every day through real-world practice, yet this knowledge rarely enters academic discourse. How can we build bridges between universities and practitioners to co-create meaningful, publishable evidence, without relying solely on high-cost trials? Let’s explore models like real-world evidence, N-of-1 studies, and practice-based research networks that can transform Scotland’s food and health research landscape

Data Collection & Sharing

How can practitioners capture high-quality, anonymised client data?

Can universities provide templates, ethical frameworks, or digital tools for this?

Partnership Models

Co-designed research between SMEs and universities

Student placements where MSc/PhD students analyse practitioner-collected data

Innovation vouchers / funding streams for SME-academic collaboration

Impact Beyond Academia

How to publish this kind of “hybrid evidence”

Policy influence when you don’t have a £2m RCT behind you

Building citizen and patient trust with transparent reporting

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The Potential of Upcycled Foods in a Good Food Nation

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The Potential of Upcycled Foods in a Good Food Nation

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As Scotland advances toward becoming a Good Food Nation, reducing food waste and developing sustainable food products are essential priorities.

Upcycling is a key concept in circular food systems, involving the transformation of co-streams, side streams, and by-products from food production into new, safe, and nutritious food products for human consumption. It has gained significant global attention for its role in creating a closed-loop system that conserves natural resources while meeting the demand for new product development.

Promoting upcycling across the Scottish food sector can address sustainability, nutrition, and food security simultaneously, thereby directly contributing to the Good Food Nation outcomes. This discussion is expected to generate practical insights on integrating upcycling into Scotland’s food system, foster cross-sector collaboration, and highlight practical opportunities for innovation in the upcycled food sector.

Suggested by Temitope Akinyemi

Suggested Facilitator: Temitope Akinyemi

Space - Anywhere

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How can data be shared across the community and be re-used?

The development of a SCAF Dataset sharing website is underway, but first we need to learn:

what is the structure of the community?

what prevents data re-use?

what makes researchers share data?

By participating in this session, you would help shape the website!

Suggested by / presenter: Gian Catalano

Space: anywhere

time: 5 min introduction + 30 minutes conversation

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The huge potential of a plant-based food system and the role universities can play

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The huge potential of a plant-based food system and the role universities can play

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Facilitator: Ulysse Tonnelé Verjus

Where: indoor

Research shows that the UK could be carbon-negative if it transitioned to a plant-based food system, as the change would not only eliminate a large share of the country's emissions, but also allow massive amounts of GHGs to be sequestered as most of the land would be able to return to its original state. Today, animal agriculture in the UK is the largest obstacle to reforestation. In Scotland, it is also the leading driver of peat bog degradation. While peatlands are supposed to be net absorbers of carbon, they are today so degraded by overgrazing that they are responsible for 20% of Scotland's total emissions. Animal agriculture is also the leading driver of biodiversity loss, freshwater pollution, and eutrophication. On top of this monumental and multi-faceted pollution, animal farming is heavily subsidised with taxpayer money as it is often not profitable. A huge body of research has also demonstrated the benefits a plant-based food system would have for our health, drastically reducing the number of cancers, strokes and other heart diseases. More research has shown that even if all anthropogenic emissions were stopped today, those from the agriculture sector alone would make it impossible to limit warming to 1.5°C and nearly impossible to limit it to 2°C. Moreover, overall food demand is expected to increase by 50% by 2050, with that for animal-based foods projected to rise by 70%. This increased demand would require an additional 33 million km2 of land, eliminating all of the world's forests and savannas. A plant-based food system isn't just a nice plus, it's an absolute necessity.

Universities don't simply have a significant role to play, they have a responsibility to act. They hold significant cultural capital, shape ethical norms, educate future leaders, and generate much of our knowledge on the climate crisis. Yet by serving animal products, they legitimise a destructive industry. Shifting to fully plant-based catering would set a powerful example for governments and other institutions of genuine climate action. Students are already the demographic most supportive of plant-based solutions, and have a strong tradition of driving social change—just as universities once led the movement to divest from fossil fuels, they can now lead in divesting from an equally destructive industry.

This is why three months ago, like dozens of other universities across Europe recently, we launched a Plant-Based Universities campaign at UofG, calling the university to begin a transition to plant-based catering and follow in the footsteps of fourteen other UK universities including Cambridge, Lancaster, and Newcastle Universities.

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What Would a Truly Resilient Scottish Food System Look Like?

Extreme weather, global conflicts, energy costs, and rising inequality are already testing food systems.

This session will explore what resilience really means: not just bouncing back from crisis, but building a food system that can adapt, endure, and thrive.

Discussion could cover:

Vulnerabilities in current supply chains and production models

The role of community-led initiatives like growing networks, food pantries, and co-ops

Balancing self-sufficiency with reliance on imports and global trade

How innovation, policy, and citizen action can come together to prepare for future shocks

The challenge: if we were building Scotland’s food system from scratch to survive the next 30 years, what would we keep, what would we change, and what new ideas should we test?

Suggested by / Facilitator: Silvia Mourao // DiveIN CDT
Space: Indoor
Time: 45–60 minutes

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Creative Interdisciplinary Pathways for Household Food Waste Prevention

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Creative Interdisciplinary Pathways for Household Food Waste Prevention

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UK households waste over £21 billion of food each year. That’s 8.2 million potatoes and 24 million slices of bread every day (WRAP 2025). At the same time, 7.5 million people face food poverty in the UK. Globally food waste contributes 10% of global greenhouse gases.

Although 86% of UK people recognise FW as an issue, only 34% see its reduction as a personal priority . This gap between awareness and action signals a critical behavioural failure. There is a great opportunity for social scientists, natural scientist, communities, and practitioners to co-create fresh solutions and map the core issues of household food waste together. for example, how can we combine nutrition insights, storytelling, multicultural recipes, and digital tools (like QR-linked videos) to turn “waste” into value?

Suggested by / presenter: Saihong Li + Space: anywhere

Time: 3-5 minutes intro + 30 minutes conversation

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Academy of Citizens - Next Steps Discussion

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Academy of Citizens - Next Steps Discussion

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Now that we've recruited and launched the first of nine meetings for our AoC Panel, we're now looking for SCAF members to share their research or 'future of food' topics with the Panel in future for their input or feedback. This could be to explore how best to communicate your research, gain insight on attitudes to current or future developments in food research, or open discussion on ways to engage citizens in areas of food research. We're also continuously keen to others' thoughts on how the Academy of Citizens could develop and add value.

Suggested by: Michael Pierre Johnson

where: medium room

time: 45-60 mins conversation captured with small proposal templates

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The SCAF Academy of Citizens (AoC) workstream is piloting and modelling an AoC Panel, consisting of members of the public who represent a variety of lived experiences with food. It aims to support engagement of members of the public in research across the food landscape.

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Beyond Nutrition: Using AI and Digital Innovation to Overcome Cultural and Economic Barriers to Sustainable and Healthy Diets in Scotland

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Beyond Nutrition: Using AI and Digital Innovation to Overcome Cultural and Economic Barriers to Sustainable and Healthy Diets in Scotland

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Food is more than a source of nutrition; it is deeply linked to culture, heritage, and financial circumstances. When promoting healthier and more sustainable diets, these factors must be carefully considered. Nutrition science shows that the most beneficial diet is rich in legumes, fruits, and vegetables, with modest consumption of poultry and fish, and limited red meat. Shifting toward more plant-based eating also brings significant environmental benefits. For example, Harwatt et al. (2017) demonstrated that substituting lentils for beef could deliver 46–75% of the greenhouse gas reductions required to meet U.S. 2020 targets.

In Scotland, achieving such change requires acknowledging the barriers communities face—particularly in more deprived areas. Financial inequality, limited access to affordable fresh food, and a lack of practical cooking knowledge all restrict dietary shifts. Education has consistently proven to be one of the most effective interventions to shift dietary patterns (Wadi et al., 2024), but education alone may not be sufficient without enabling tools.

AI and digital innovation offer new opportunities. Just as the Quit Sense app successfully supported smoking cessation by using AI to detect high-risk moments, similar tools could be designed to promote sustainable diets. Drawing on health psychology research and the Behaviour Change Wheel, such an app could provide tailored educational content, budget-conscious grocery lists, affordable recipes, and strategies to reduce food waste. Making this technology widely accessible and free could empower households across Scotland to eat more sustainably and healthy while respecting cultural preferences.

Suggested by / Facilitator: Antonella Marsella // DiveIn CDT

Space: Indoor

Time: 45–60 minutes

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Discussion and brain storming on some potential collaborative research. this can be done as Hub or with some institution together.

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Hosted by the SCAF Early Career Network, we want to promote networking, discussion, and the development of skills that are helpful to growing a vibrant and successful career in food.

Around a series of stations, you will be invited to have a quick conversation to share experiences, stories, and lessons. There will be prompts (if you need them!) to kick-off a discussion and at each station and you can help to grow a topic, developing branches and leaves for others.

Topics will include, but not limited to, the role of ultra processing, labels and regulation, elevator pitches and disseminating results.

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Food, Nutrition & Identity: How Food Shapes Us

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Food, Nutrition & Identity: How Food Shapes Us

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Food is main part of who we are and how we behave. This session will participants to reflect on how dishes, ingredients, and traditions have shaped their sense of self, memory, and belonging. Through a creative exercise, participants will represent themselves using food. By sharing and reflecting together, we will uncover how food connects across cultures and experiences, and how these insights can deepen our understanding of ourselves, each other, and the role of food in shaping identity.

Facilitator: Ali

Session would be around 40 minutes