Expert on U.S. food, nutrition policies to present Snyder lecture
April 1, 2015
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Helen Jensen |
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - An Iowa State University economist who researches national food and nutrition policies will give the 2015 James C. Snyder Memorial Lecture on April 10 at Purdue University.
Helen H. Jensen's presentation, "An Economist's Perspective on Policies to Target Nutrition and Dietary Choices," will be in the auditorium of the Krannert Building, 403 W. State St., starting at 2:45 p.m. EDT.
The event, presented by the Department of Agricultural Economics, is free and open to the public.
Jensen is a professor of economics and leads the food and nutrition policy research at Iowa State's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, an internationally recognized research center that addresses issues of the food, agricultural and natural resource sectors.
Jensen's research is in the economics and design of food and nutrition programs and policies, food insecurity, food demand and markets, and food safety regulations and builds on strong, interdisciplinary collaborations. Her work and expertise concern the interactions of participants in food and health-care systems with specific attention to economic aspects and behaviors related to food and health programs and policies.
For the past 25 years, she has led a research program at the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development that applies economic theories to problems related to food and nutrition policies, including evaluations of the costs and cost-effectiveness of nutritional and dietary interventions and policies.
Jensen was elected a fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association in 2012 and recently served on the association's board of directors. She has served on several committees of the National Academy of Sciences, including the recent Institute of Medicine committees to incorporate new scientific recommendations on diet and nutrition into the U.S. Department of Agriculture's major food programs.
Jensen currently serves on the Institute of Medicine's committee to review the USDA's Women, Infants and Children Food Packages (2014-2016). She also serves in the IOM's Food Forum and is a member of the policy subgroup of the World Health Organization's Initiative to Estimate the Global Burden of Foodborne Diseases, Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group.
Jensen holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin.
The Snyder Memorial Lecture, in its 41st year, honors the late James C. Snyder, a professor of agricultural economics. After completing graduate study at Purdue, Snyder joined the Purdue agricultural economics faculty and was widely recognized for his teaching and research.
The afternoon activities will begin with opening remarks at 1:30 p.m., including by Jay Akridge, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Purdue Agriculture. They will be followed by presentation of the agricultural economics Apex awards, given to individuals who have a strong connection to the department and have made significant contributions to agriculture, business or economics.
Other department awards and a reception will follow Jensen's presentation.
Writer: Keith Robinson, 765-494-2722, robins89@purdue.edu
Source: Kenneth Foster, head, Purdue Department of Agricultural Economics, 765-494-4191, kfoster@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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