Sonia Massari

Dr. Sonia Massari is a distinguished researcher and educator with over 20 years of experience in food systems, sustainability, and design innovation. Currently serving as Research Fellow at the University of Pisa and Academic Director at the Future Food Academy, she has shaped the field of food studies through multiple roles. She holds a PhD in Food Experience Design from the University of Florence and previously served as Academic Director of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Food Studies programs in Rome for 12 years, where she designed over 50 academic programs. Her innovative work combining food studies with design thinking earned her several prestigious recognitions, including the NAFSA Innovative Research in International Education Award (2014), the International Women Innovation Award "Tecnovisionarie" (2012), and the Food Studies ASFS Pedagogy Award (2020). As Vice President of the Association for the Study of Food and Society and co-founder of the FORK Food Design Organization, she continues to influence food systems education globally. Her expertise spans human-food interaction design, sustainability education, and creative methods for innovative agri-food systems, reflected in her 50+ publications and her recent book "Trans-disciplinary Case Studies on Design for Food and Sustainability." She maintains significant roles as senior consultant at the Barilla Foundation and serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Food Design while teaching at multiple prestigious institutions including ISIA Design School and Roma Tre University.