Food-Fueled Undergraduate Food Systems Science Journal

Food-Fueled is a research journal centered around food-related topics as an extension of American University’s RECIPES project. We aim to publish works on food-related issues ranging from policy to food science, to personal narratives about the influence of food, nature, and agriculture.

The creation of this site and manuscript editing was supported by NSF Grant # 2115405 SRS RN: Multiscale RECIPES (Resilient, Equitable, and Circular Innovations with Partnership and Education Synergies) for Sustainable Food Systems. Findings and conclusions reported here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Call for Submissions to the Food-Fueled

Submission deadline: N/A; rolling

Food-Fueled aims to showcase a wide variety of exceptional undergraduate research and writing on food-related topics, including:

International Policy
Domestic Policy, Politics, and Law
Personal Prose and Local Journalism
Sciences

We invite submissions from both undergraduate and high school students. Submissions can include results from faculty-mentored and independent researcher projects or term papers prepared for courses. If you are interested, we urge you to familiarize yourself with our submission guidelines and send your finished piece to submissions_ff@american.edu.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and the opportunity to publish the outstanding research conducted by our talented undergraduate community. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at inquiries_ff@american.edu.

Volumes

VOLUME II ISSUE (2025)

Our second volume of Food-Fueled features manuscripts from high school and college students all across the United States. The editors are thrilled to share these with you. A link to the full issue contents can be found here.

AGRICULTURAL FOOD SCIENCE

Agriculture as Resistance: Deconstructing Colonialism Through Food and Farming

Liv Lufkin, American University

The Role of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in Climate-Resilient Food Systems

Sade Goodridge, American University

PERSONAL PROSE

Cheers

Sabrina Feldman, University of California, Santa Barbara

COOKING CHEMISTRY

Bagels and Chemistry: Exploring the Power of Yeast

Lila Barron, Grace Norris, Henry Su, Graham Whitney; American University

Choux Pastry: A Study of Challenges and Techniques for Successful Preparation

Sarika Rajan, Los Altos High School

Chip by Chip: Baking the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Dawn Zoe Manoussos, American University

The Science of Pickling

Ines Arroyo, Natalia Cabrera, Anette Honey Hochstadt, Aaron Kowalski; American University

COMPOSTING SCIENCE

Policy Brief: The opportunities and shortcomings of the District of Columbia’s composting governance and stewardship

Luke Carignan, American University

Students’ Recycling Savvy

Emily Wright, American University

PERCEPTIONS OF FOOD WASTE

Shaping Waste Attitudes: A Psychological Analysis

Kai Foust, Rochester Institute of Technology

FOOD SYSTEMS AND ACCESS

Why Apples are More Expensive than Twinkies: A Historical Analysis of America’s Deficient Food System and Recommendations for a Path Forward

Ryder Wentzel, American University

Understanding Food Access at Nourished Cities Green Ridge Farmer’s Market

Peyton McGowan, American University

Food and Health Disparities in American Native Communities: Exploring the Impacts of Systemic Inequities

Marissa Newbauer, American University

VOLUME I ISSUE (2024)

Our inaugural volume of Food-Fueled features manuscripts from high school and college students all across the United States. The editors are thrilled to share these with you. A link to the full issue contents can be found here.

PERCEPTIONS OF FOOD WASTE

From the Shelf to the Landfill: The Effect of Socio-Demographic Factors on Wasting Behavior and the Impact of Survey Methods on Food Waste Reporting

Mary Serviss, University of Florida; Lena Hanson, University of Florida; Erika Steinbruck, University of Florida; and Dr. Ziynet Boz, University of Florida

Examining the Crossroads of Food Waste, Nutrition, and Public Health Awareness Among American University Students

Amelia A. Rowniewski, American University

Understanding Household Food Waste: Insights from Wasted Food Listening Sessions in the DC Area

Ella Miller, American University; and Raya Rukab, American University

The Correlation Between Household Income and Food Wastage: A Case Study of Food Wastage Quantity and Consumer Attitudes

Izzy Klugman, Menlo School

INTERNATIONAL FOOD AID POLICY

Global Hierarchy of Disruptive Food Aid

Elizabeth Riekse, American University

ECONOMICS OF FOOD PRICING

The Association Between Food Surplus Costs and Retail Prices

Ethan Ziegler, American University

FOOD WASTE POLICY

Most Public School Districts in Rochester, NY and Albany, NY Metro Regions Not Currently Composting to Manage Wasted Food

Maddie Tlachac, Rochester Institute of Technology; Rodhy Vixamar, Rochester Institute of Technology; and Kaitlin Stack Whitney, Rochester Institute of Technology

The Food Waste and Food Insecurity Crisis in America: Interweaving a Resolution

Shailen Pathy, high school student in Connecticut

COOKING CHEMISTRY

The Quest for the Perfect Loaf: An Investigation into the Creation of Banana Bread

Joshua Alfano, American University; Juliana Gomez, American University; and Robert Wohl, American University

Brownies

Shira Cohen, American University; Benjamin Gadol, American University; Dov Bicky, American University; and Dr. Marjan Alaghmand, American University

COMPOSTING SCIENCE

Understanding Electric Composting Machines as a Potential Household Food Waste Management Strategy

Hannah DeFelice, Rochester Institute of Technology; and Kaitlin Stack Whitney, Rochester Institute of Technology

Food-Fueled Editorial Team