Congratulations to Barbara Bray, MBE, appointed the Society's new Trustee (Honorary Officer) for International Affairs.
Barbara will be working to ensure the Society is promoting and disseminating evidence based nutrition science internationally, developing the Society's work with international partners and supporting those members residing outside of the UK and Ireland.
Barbara has 20 years’ experience of working in the agri-food sector in the UK and Europe, Middle East and African countries. With her roles as a Director of the Oxford Farming Conference (the leading international conference held in the UK for farming and agribusiness), and work on the Intitute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), Nutrition Society Training Academy (NSTA), and SENSE nutritionists’ committees, she has a wide and varied network of people both in the UK and internationally.
With unique insight into primary food production as a Nuffield Farming Scholar and an Oxford Farming Conference Council member, the Society look forward to Barbara bringing a new perspective to the existing Trustee Board by identifying synergies and encouraging the agricultural community and other food disciplines to engage with professional nutritionists.
On her objectives for her term of office Barbara commented:
"My goal is to be a leader in the agri-food space, promoting knowledge of nutrition across a range of disciplines. I aim to approach the role by building on the existing four pillars that underlie the strategic objectives of the Society's International Affaris Committe and that have already been successfully established:
1. Promote the work/activities of the Society and its members on a global scale
I will explore whether external communication activities could be strengthened by leveraging existing and potential new relationships with other food/science related disciplines.
2. Develop, maintain interaction with overseas members (and potential members), including UK members working/living overseas
I would like to explore the options available to the Membership Committee for engaging with international members, and explore development of food and nutrition activity days in different countries that capitalise on the current trend of food and farm tourism internationally.
3. Assist in building the capacity of both existing and emerging overseas Societies and other scientific bodies (in both science and government)
I aim to focus on growing the Society's training academy (NSTA) in order to enable existing and emerging overseas Societies to engage with their members whilst delivering continuous professional development. I would also like to explore other opportunities for developing digital learning products.
4. Lead on, and/or participate, in special projects which would have the potential of a global impact.
The Nutrition Society is well placed to add value to the work on the Voluntary Guidelines on Food System and Nutrition led by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN Rome-based Agencies for the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). The meetings and activities of CFS include a range of initiatives designed to improve human nutrition at a global level. The focus is on the sustainable development goals, particularly goal 2 (Zero Hunger). Each country has a representative available to liaise on this project and additionally the Civil Society Mechanism, made up primarily of Non-Governmental Organisations, and the Private Sector Mechanism, made up of businesses and research and academic institutions. Membership of the PSM will also afford further opportunities to engage in UN based projects which ultimately shape our national policy."