1. Faculty of Environment
  2. School of Earth and Environment
  3. People
  4. Profile
Dr Effie Papargyropoulou

Dr Effie Papargyropoulou

  • Position: Associate Professor in Sustainable Food Networks
  • Areas of expertise: sustainable food systems; food poverty; food policy; food surplus and food waste management; food systems transformation; low carbon cities
  • Email: E.Papargyropoulou@leeds.ac.uk
  • Phone: +44(0)113 343 8316
  • Location: 11.105 School of Earth and Environment
  • Website: Googlescholar | Researchgate | ORCID

Profile

I am interested in the interactions between people and the environment, and the management of the impacts human activity has on the environment. I explore these interactions in the context of global environmental challenges such as climate change and food security, with a focus on sustainability and sustainable development. My research focuses on two main themes: food systems, food waste management and food consumption; and low carbon cities, decarbonisation of human activities and climate change mitigation. My research is transdisciplinary by engaging with academic and non-academic stakeholders, and interdisciplinary by combining approaches from various fields.

Before joining the University of Leeds, I worked as a lecturer in Malaysia for six years, and before that as environmental consultant in the UK.

Responsibilities

  • Programme Lead MSc Sustainable Food Systems

Research interests

My research interests centre around the following topics/ areas:

  • How to make our food system more sustainable
  • The relationships between food surplus redistribution and food poverty
  • Ways to achieve food waste prevention along the food supply chain
  • Urban food systems
  • Low carbon cities

Current research projects:

2021- 2022: Food Hubs for Food Secuirty – Principal Investigator

Food Hubs for Food Secuirty is co-designed and co-delivered with Foodwise and Leeds City Council. This project aims to (i) evaluate the benefits that Food Hubs bring to food systems and communities in terms of food security, sustainability, and healthy diets, and (ii) provide the necessary evidence base make the case for policy support and funding

2020 – 2024: ‘KaLi: Kalimantan Lestari’ (Kalimantan Sustainability) – Co-Investigator, GCRF- NERC funded

KaLi aims to:

  • Gain a better understanding of the multiple drivers of drought and fires in Central Kalimantan
  • Investigate the impacts of drought and fires, and identify communities most vulnerable to these hazards
  • Identify priority actions and policies to reduce the risk of fire and implement sustainable solutions that build resilience in both communities and environment

2019 – 2020: ‘FAmiSHEd: Interactions between Food wAste, Surplus and HungEr’ – Principal Investigator, N8 AgriFood Resilience Programme University of Leeds Pump Priming

FAmiSHEd aims to a) critique the ‘win-win’ narrative around food surplus redistribution and food poverty alleviation, and b) propose alternatives that address the root causes of food poverty and systematic food waste generation.  This project brings together interdisciplinary academic expertise across the universities of Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle Upon-Tyne, and co-produces knowledge with a network of stakeholders from the retail, third (e.g. charities, not-for profit, social enterprises) and government sector  involved in food surplus redistribution, food waste reduction, and food poverty alleviation.  

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

  • PhD, Sustainability Research, University of Leeds
  • MSc, Environmental Engineering, University of Newcastle
  • BSc, Geology, National University of Athens

Professional memberships

  • Charted Member of the Charted Institution of Waste Management

Student education

  • I am the Programme Leader of the MSc Sustainable Food Systems https://courses.leeds.ac.uk/i868/sustainable-food-systems-msc
  • I am the module leader for FOEV5100M Introduction to Sustainable Food Systems
  • I teach on the MSc Sustainability and Consultancy, MSc Sustainability and Business, MSc Environment and Development, and MSc Climate Change and Environmental Policy

Research groups and institutes

  • Sustainability Research Institute
  • Business Organisations for Sustainable Societies
  • Environment and Development
  • Sustainable Food Systems

Current postgraduate researchers

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>