Jessica Fanzo Returns to Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe as James Anderson Chair in Global Food Policy

Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and SAIS Europe are pleased to announce the return of Jessica Fanzo, a globally recognized leader in nutrition, food policy, and climate research, as the inaugural James Anderson Chair in Global Food Policy at SAIS Europe in Bologna.

Fanzo returns to Johns Hopkins following two and a half years as Director of Columbia University’s Food for Humanity Initiative. Based in Bologna—at the heart of European policymaking and within close proximity to the United Nations food agencies headquartered in Rome—she will strengthen SAIS Europe’s role as a center for research, teaching, and policy engagement on global food systems, sustainability, and climate resilience.

Her return coincides with the release of EAT-Lancet 2.0, a major global report examining the links between diets, food systems, human health, and planetary boundaries. The report builds on the landmark 2019 planetary health diet framework and underscores the urgency of transforming food systems to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and global health inequities.

At SAIS Europe, Fanzo will teach and conduct research focused on food systems governance, climate policy, nutrition, and sustainable development, while engaging with international organizations, policymakers, and academic partners across Europe and beyond.

According to Renaud Dehousse, Vice Dean and Rector of Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe, “Jessica’s return is welcome news for our students and for SAIS Europe. Her teaching combines scientific insight, policy analysis, and real-world challenges, encouraging students to think critically about the future of food, climate, and global governance.”

“We’re delighted to welcome Jess Fanzo back in this timely position,” said James B. Steinberg, Dean of SAIS. “Her pathbreaking scholarship and leadership in global food systems and climate policy reflect the values of our university, and her presence at SAIS strengthens the school’s role as a bridge between academic research and the institutions shaping policy in Europe, the United States, and around the world.”

“I’m grateful to return to Hopkins at SAIS Europe in Bologna, a community of deeply engaged students and scholars who think creatively about the challenges ahead,” Fanzo said. “Europe is an important center of gravity for food and climate policy, and I’m excited to contribute to that work while teaching and learning alongside colleagues who use science to make meaningful differences.”

Fanzo previously served as a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Global Food Policy and Ethics at Johns Hopkins University and has held senior advisory roles with leading international institutions working at the intersection of food systems, nutrition, and climate change.

Read the full feature article on the Johns Hopkins University Hub.

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