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LIDA launches new Food Research & Innovation Community

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Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA) has launched its latest community – LIDA: Food. The community has interests in all things' food, data science and AI, spanning the entire value chain from farm, through factory, to fork and beyond, including the impact on health at the individual, population and planet scales.

With one in five deaths globally attributed to poor diet, a third of global greenhouse gas emissions arising from food production and food insecurity doubling since 2020 – food is at the heart of some of the world’s greatest challenges.

Founded by Prof Michelle Morris and Prof Nik Watson, the new initiative begins with a launch event on Wednesday 22nd January. It aims to bring together colleagues with relevant expertise from the university and partners, within an inclusive and interdisciplinary LIDA community to build networks, share learnings, develop early career colleagues and target strategic largescale funding opportunities.

Headshots of Professor Michelle Morris and Professor Nik Watson side by side

Founders Professor Michelle Morris (left) and Professor Nik Watson (right)

The community plans to establish the University of Leeds as the national leader of Data Science and AI in Food and the trusted partner of choice for academia and industry.

Nik Watson, Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Food, University of Leeds said, “The LIDA Food Community will bring together the diverse range of experience and expertise in data science, digital technologies and food across the University of Leeds enabling us to tackle the countless challenges facing global food systems”

This will be achieved through new and innovative ways of working and through collaboration with existing groups such as the Global Food Environment Institute, the University Farm, and the Agri-Energy Research Group, in addition to colleagues from schools and faculties across the University we will host a vibrant seminar and events series.

Prof Stephen Whitfield, Director of the Global Food and Environment Institute said, “There is great potential within the University for combining our strengths in data analytics with cross-disciplinary research expertise in food systems in varied and innovative ways. The Global Food and Environment Institute is excited to support the new Food community within LIDA to help realise this potential.”

The community will build upon ongoing collaborations, like developing a digital twin of the Leeds food system, and maximise new opportunities for the wider community.

Dr Sarah Dennis, Institute Manager, Global Food and Environment Institute said, "I am very excited that LIDA are starting a new Food Community. We look forward to continuing our previous work with them and developing the collaborations further giving more opportunities to the GFEI members to work with the data science and AI community."

Our industry partners are already keen to get involved and pursue opportunities to collaborate:

Peter Laflin, Data & Analytics Director at Morrisons said, “We are very pleased to see the LIDA Food initiative focusing its expertise on applying AI technology to the food sector. The innovative use of data, analytics and AI has enormous potential to identify ways to make food production more sustainable and, crucially, to deliver better value and quality for our customers across the UK. We look forward to collaborating with the University of Leeds and seeing the progress and positive impact this community will achieve.”

James Osborne, Science Group Leader & Academic Partnership Lead at Nestle said, “Having recently visited LIDA I can see the potential it has on making an impact on tackling food system challenges by utilising data science, AI and their inter-disciplinary team.”

Join our free launch event on Wednesday 22nd January from 11:30am – 2:30pm for a series of short talks and a networking lunch. View launch agenda

Find out more about LIDA: Food and our other upcoming events

Or get in touch with any queries and to sign up to receive more information contact LIDA@leeds.ac.uk

New opportunity to support LIDA: Food

We are seeking deputy leaders for this community and are particularly keen for early career researchers to pursue this opportunity.

Send us an email answering the following two questions to apply, before 1st Feb 2025:

- Why are you applying for this position? (100 words)

- How will you raise the profile of the community in the University and beyond? (100 words)