Dr Rebecca Wells

Overview

Rebecca is a Lecturer in Food Policy in the Centre for Food Policy and the Programme Director for the Centre's MSc in Food Policy. Her research focuses on the interactions between food policy and the media, and developing food policy for a healthier, more sustainable and equitable food system. She has a particular interest in the pedagogy of food systems and was made a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2018.

A former BBC producer and food journalist, Rebecca joined the BBC in 1991 working on a variety of programmes including investigative and consumer output for BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 and the World Service, before becoming a producer on BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme in 1999. She produced dozens of documentaries for the Food Programme, on topics including food policy, food culture, food history, nutrition, environmental sustainability and food education, winning the Guild of Food Writers Michael Smith Award for British Food in 2004, the Glenfiddich Award for Best Radio Programme in 2004 and a Sony Radio Academy Awards nomination in 2005.

Rebecca joined City in 2011, taking up a PhD studentship awarded by the University. Her PhD took as a case study the UK Department of Health recommendations on red and processed meat consumption and cancer 1993-2011. The research looked at the ways policies were developed and policy interaction with UK print media, using policy analysis, content analysis of UK print media coverage and participant interviews with journalists and policy makers.

Following completion of her PhD, Rebecca worked as a Post-Doctoral Teaching Fellow on the food systems teaching programme IFSTAL (Interdisciplinary Food Systems Teaching and Learning), a HEFCE funded project dedicated to creating a network of students from seven UK higher education institutions, working in different disciplines at postgraduate level in food systems. IFSTAL was a collaboration between the universities of Oxford, City, Reading and Warwick as well as the Royal Veterinary College, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the School of Oriental and African Studies. The IFSTAL programme included the development of a unique online learning platform shared across the seven institutions; livestreamed lectures across the seven sites; joint workshops, symposia and lectures and an annual summer school.

in 2019 Rebecca worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow on the EU funded research project QUEST (Quality and Effectiveness in Science and Technology Communication), exploring science journalism as part of a wider programme looking at science communication across Europe. This project, led by Venice International University, was a collaboration between academics working in Science Communication from countries across Europe including Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Norway and the UK.

Rebecca's research interests include food policy, food in the media, food systems, food poverty, food banks, food security and science communication. She has a particular interest in food systems teaching and learning and has an MA in Academic Practice. She is the co-lead for the Centre for Food Policy on the recently launched UKRI funded Centre for Doctoral Training in Food Systems, led by the University of Greenwich.

Qualifications

• MA (Distinction) Academic Practice, City, University of London, United Kingdom, 2014 – 2021
• PhD Food Policy, City, University of London, United Kingdom, Aug 2011 – Jan 2018
• BA (Hons), University of York, United Kingdom

Employment

• Research Fellow, City, University of London, 2019 – 2020
• Teaching Fellow, City, University of London, Jan 2015 – Jan 2019
• Visiting Lecturer, Centre for Food Policy, MSc in Food Policy, City, University of London, Jan 2012 – Jan 2019
• Visiting Lecturer, Department of Journalism, MA in Science Journalism, City, University of London, Jan 2012 – Jan 2016
• Radio Producer, BBC, 1999 – 2011

Fellowships

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Higher Education Academy, 2018 – present

Teaching

Educational Leadership

Programme Director: MSc Food Policy

Undergraduate Modules

SC3001 Food, Society and Culture (module leader)
PHM005 Health Policy & Politics
PH3001 Health Policy & Politics

Postgraduate Modules

FPM003 Food, Society and Culture (module leader)
FPM004 Food, Public Health and the Environment (module leader)
FPM005 Food Policy Dissertation (module leader)

Publications by category