Gustolab International Food Systems and Sustainability Director

Sonia Massari is the Academic Director of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Food Studies Program, Director of Gustolab International Institute for Food Studies and scientific advisor to the Fondazione Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition.

In 2012 she won the international "Le Tecnovisionarie WomenTech: Women Innovation" award for women committed to innovation in food and nutrition, and in 2014 the NAFSA TLS KC’s Innovative Research in International Education Award. She was then Ambassador of WE Women for Expo2015.

She has a PhD in Food Systems and Interaction Design, has worked with several education and communication agencies, and with research centres directly linked to the European Commission, as a researcher, evaluator and professor. Between 2005 and 2007 she was Visiting Professor at Montclair State University (NJ), she taught at CUNY (NY), and is currently a lecturer at the "Scuola Politecnica di Design", on the "Food Design Master’s" course and at the "ISIA Design School" in Rome.