Are you a high school student looking for a competitive summer program or research project that is unique? Investigating global food systems and cultural sustainability is a great way to practice research skills, address real-world phenomena, and prepare for college-level work. This blog post has ten concrete research ideas, all of which help you connect classroom-based work to global issues affecting food, culture, and sustainability. Regardless of whether you gravitate toward science, social studies, the arts (or another discipline), the topics provided will afford a purposeful avenue for growth, academically and personally.
Global food systems are systems, a combination of productive, processing, distribution systems, and food consumption systems around the world. Global food systems rely on specific ecological, economic, political, and cultural systems. As societies confront problems of food security, climate change and biodiversity loss, understanding food systems particularly with regards to cultural traditions is important now more than ever. Research in these areas will enable you to:
Enhance your research and critical thinking skills.
Apply your experience with interviews, fieldwork or data analysis.
Contribute to discussions about food security, cultural identity and environmental sustainability.
Explore career planning in food policy, environmental sciences, or cultural studies.
The Influence of Globalization on Food Practices
Research Question:
How do global trade, migration, and media change the practice of food in a certain area?
Major Questions to consider:
How has the local cuisine adapted or rejected global food trends?
What is the effect on cultural identity and connection with the community?
Project Ideas:
Interviews with local chefs or community elders about changes to traditional recipes.
Case studies of when a global fast-food chain enters a new market or food system and how it affects food practice and foodways.
Food Security and National Security
Research Interest:
Explore the connections between food access, a political context, and national security.
Key Questions:
What role does disruptions to food systems (e.g. conflict events / climate events) play in any nation?
Are there policies to aid countries to make their food systems more resilient?
Suggested Projects:
Map the effect of a drought or conflict or other event on prices of food and generally on availability of food in a specific nation.
Interview experts or review news reports to get some insight on how governments respond to food crises etc.
Sustainable Aquaculture in Southeast Asia
Research Area:
Explore whether aquaculture practices are changing to respond to climate change and resource constraints.
Key Questions:
What environmental impacts do traditional aquaculture practices have compared to more modern practices?
How might sustainable practices benefit both communities and ecosystems?
Project Ideas:
Compare case studies on sustainable fish farms vs sustainable fish farms.
Interview local fishers or aquaculture specialists about best practices.
Urban Agriculture and Climate Change Adaptation
Research Focus:
Investigate the role of urban farms and gardens incorporating reducing urban heat, reducing urban stormwater explicitly and also supporting local food systems.
Key Questions:
What are the environmental benefits of urban farms and gardens compared to traditional green spaces?
What barriers and challenges do urban farmers face?
Project Ideas:
Conduct a survey of local urban gardens and document them within your community.
Collect and analyze data to demonstrate temperature reduction or areas of biodiversity existing with urban agricultural areas.
Preserving culinary heritage
Research Focus:
Investigate work being done to document and protect traditional recipes, cooking techniques, and food-related rituals.
Key Questions:
Who is actively working to preserve culinary heritage?
In what ways does a preserved food culture bolster the identity of a community?
Project Ideas:
Develop an online archive of family recipes, or oral histories.
Investigate how UNESCO is involved in the protection of intangible cultural heritage.
Environmental Justice and Food Waste Management
Research Focus:
Study the environmentally just management of food waste in various communities.
Key Questions:
Who is most impacted by food waste and pollution from landfills?
What innovative strategies are in place to reduce food waste?
Project Ideas:
Conduct a waste audit of everyday waste produced by yourself, school, and/or your community.
Interview or survey local organizations working on food recovery and/or compost projects.
Family Farms and Sustainability
Research Aim:
Assess if and how family farms can participate in and shape sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods.
Key Questions:
How are smallholders faring in an era of industrial agriculture?
In what ways do family farms support biodiversity and local economies?;
Project Ideas:
Interviews with local farmers about their farms and recent experiences;
Comparative assessments of family farms' environmental costs relative to large agribusinesses.
Indigenous Food Systems and Knowledge
Research Aim:
Explore how indigenous groups create sustainable food practices and adapt to environmental change.
Key Questions:
What is traditional ecological?
What ways can traditional ecological knowledge inform modern sustainability practices?
Project Ideas:
Record traditional food practices using interviews or fieldwork.
Research examples of ecologically sustainable practices through cooperative research initiatives between indigenous groups and scientific researchers.
Food Policy and Nutrition
Research Focus:
Conduct research on how government policies affect food availability, nutrition, and public health.
Key Questions:
To what extent do policies on reducing junk food consumption make a difference?
What are the effects of advancing organic agriculture?
Project Ideas:
Evaluating a specific food policy in your jurisdiction.
Interview policymakers or public health experts regarding nutrition initiatives.
Tourism, Trade, and Cultural Sustainability
Research Focus Area:
to understand the intersection of global trade and tourism's impact on local food systems and cultural sustainability.
Key Questions:
What are the positive economic benefits vs the risks to traditional foodways?
How do communities balance tourism with the preservation of culture?
Project Ideas:
Examine a local food festival/market with high tourist attendance, and...
Interview (community) business owners about challenges to maintaining authenticity in a global world.
How to Turn These Ideas into a Competitive Summer Program Project
Step 1: Finding a Topic You're Passionate About
Choose a research idea that you connect to personally and can see in relation to your interests and goals for the future. Think about what skills you want to develop—Interviewing, data analysis, or simply being in the field.
Step 2: Narrowing Down a Research Question
You need to take a big topic with many questions and iterate it down to a research question or case study. Instead of saying, "food waste", you might say, "How does my city school district handle food waste and what changes could be proposed?"
Step 3: Designing the Method
What kind of information collecting are you planning? Are you going to conduct interviews, surveys, or other experiments? Will you use secondary research or design your own?
Step 4: Contact Experts or Organizations
Contact local farmers, chefs, policy makers, or not-for-profit organizations. Most of the time these folks are willing to share their knowledge, and you might even recruit a mentor.
Step 5: Record and Present Findings
Keep in mind to share your work in a scavenger hunt that is easily recorded and presented. This could be a blog, video, or digital archive. Make sure you have filled in local groups, schools, non-profits, and/or even a local science fair to tell the world what you have discovered!
Sample: How a summer program might look
Many competitive summer programs for high school students now include a focus on food systems and sustainability. For example, the World Food System Summer School at ETH Zurich involves students in case studies, field work, and design thinking to understand real-world food system problems. Programs like the FEAST Summer School in Europe involve students in hands-on learning, workshops led by experts, and developing teaching materials on food, health, and sustainability. These programs will involve:
Interdisciplinary studies (science, policy, cultural)
Working with peers and experts
Aspects of real-world learning and project work
Research, communication, and problem-solving skills
What You Will Gain
By researching global food systems and cultural sustainability, you will:
1. Develop a solid grounding in research methods and critical thinking skills.
2. Gain communication skills through interviews, presentations, and writing.
3. Experience practical problems related to food, culture, and sustainability.
4. Have a unique experience that will help your college application and allow you to develop skills for future job opportunities.
Some Final Words of Advice
1. Start early and plan your project timetable.
2. Be curious and open to learning from different perspectives.
3. Document the process, and reflect on your learning any way you can.
4. Share what you find with someone else, to inspire them or engage your community.
Researching global food systems and cultural sustainability is not merely an academic exercise — exploring these topics and researching the problems social scientists seek to understand can create real and positive change. Whether you apply to a summer program, enter a science fair, or delve into a topic to feed your passion, these research ideas will enable you to develop as a student, as a thinker, and as a citizen of the world.
If you are a high school student pushing yourself to stand out in college applications, RISE Research offers a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with mentors from top universities around the world.
Through personalized guidance and independent research projects that can lead to prestigious publications, RISE Research helps you build a standout academic profile and develop skills that set you apart. With flexible program dates and global accessibility, ambitious students can apply year-round. To learn more about eligibility, costs, and how to get started, visit RISE Research and take your college preparation to the next level!
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