Short presentation

Lea Ellen Matthiessen is a PhD student at the Department of Exercises, Nutrition and Sports (NEXS) and the Institute of Food and Resource Economics (IFRO).  She is part of the section of Preventive and Clinical Nutrition and belongs to the research group Nutrition, Sustainable Diets and Healthy Ageing. 

With her research, she wants to contribute to knowledge to better understand some of the complex problems ("wicked problems") that keep the globe out of balance and also create inequality in the global world. Her PhD project analyses the food system with a focus on diet and consumers. Lea uses a systems thinking approach to her research, modelling the relationship between diet and various components that negatively or positively influence our food choices ("feedback loops").

Lea recently became part of the PhD committee representing PhD students of the three departments NEXS, IFRO and FOOD (2022) to help provide input and feedback on the PhD school's overall PhD strategy.

Lea holds a Master's degree in Food Technology from the Technical University of Denmark (2021) and a Bachelor's degree in Nutritional Sciences and Home Economics from the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (2015). 

Primary fields of research

• Transformation of food systems
• System dynamics models
• Healthy and sustainable diets

Knowledge of languages

• German
• Danish
• English
• Spanish

Current research

Lea researches food system transformation and is affiliated with an international study, SysOrg, which strives to contribute with knowledge to enhance transformations to resilient and resource efficient food systems. The research project applies a circular research approach using methods based on systems thinking ("food systems approach") and focusing on interdisciplinary collaboration. SysOrg investigates food systems in five different regions in Denmark, Poland, Italy, Germany and Morocco, focusing on nutrition, ecology, food waste and food system transition processes.