We welcome Monika to the Center team

Monika Piessens joined the Center recently as Education Manager. Before joining the Center, Monika held various project management positions in the international cooperation sector. Her focus was to ensure both improved access to and quality of secondary and vocational training across the world, from South and Central America to Eastern Africa.

We check in with Monika to see how things are going at the WFSC:

Q: Monika, what drives you to wake up and come to work at the WFSC?

A: I want to contribute to a more sustainable world food system in which people and their environments thrive! In my previous work in the international cooperation sector, I came across numerous difficulties farmers, consumers, processers and retailers face. Factors such as climate change and rapid population growth add to these complexities. These challenges are urgent and have no clear-cut solutions due to their complexity. This motivates me to develop educational programs for youth, so they are able to analyse these challenges from different angles and perspectives. They will (hopefully!) take the lead in contributing to food and nutrition security, human well-being and environmental sustainability in the future.

We are all confronted with the world food system on a daily basis, as consumers. I am learning something new every day through the incredibly diverse research programs at the ETH World Food Systems Center. As I am profoundly curious, this is also a great motivation for me to come to the office each day!

Q: What have you been up to in your first month at the WFSC?

A: It started very well for me with the annual team retreat on the Zürichberg. In my first month, I received a crash course on the summer schools from Jonna Cohen, who held this position before me and takes off for a travel adventure around the world. I also engaged with alumni from previous summer schools and was impressed by their enthusiasm and sense of community – years after they attended the course. In 2019 one of my main focus areas is to further co-develop this community with the alumni. The WFSC summer school ‘Food systems in Transition’ will take place in Rheinau, Switzerland this year. I made a start with the planning of content, contacting potential contributors and logistical arrangements. Last but not least, I kicked of the preparations for a public event in spring this year, on pesticides. You are all invited, details will follow soon on the WFSC website!