Food-Fueled Undergraduate Food Systems Science Journal

Call for Submissions | Guidelines | Previous Issues | Contact Us

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Submission deadline: January 25, 2026

Food-Fueled is a research journal centered around food-related topics. We aim to showcase and publish a wide variety of exceptional works on food-related issues ranging from policy and law to food science, to personal narratives about the influence of food, nature, and agriculture.

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 below 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.

The creation of this journal and manuscript editing is 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.

Submission Guidelines
We encourage submissions from a variety of perspectives and academic disciplines. If you are unsure if your work fits Food-Fueled’s mission, please reach out to inquiries_ff@american.edu. Manuscripts should be submitted as a Microsoft Word Document via email to submissions_ff@american.edu.

View here

AI Best Practices
The Food-Fueled team takes AI usage seriously, especially considering its fast growth and prominence in the academic world. For the best chance of publication, please carefully review our complete Food-Fueled Submissions AI Best Practices and ensure your submission adheres to the guidelines.

View here

Editing Guidelines
For transparency and a smooth editing process, the Food-Fueled Submissions Editing Guide is publicly available. For the best chances of publication , please review our editing guidelines and standards below for information on citation style and formatting.

View here

Human Participant Research Guidance
If your research includes human participants, it needs to be evaluated by your current institution’s Internal Review Board. Some work that Food-Fueled publishes including oral histories, historical research, legal research, and journalistic research/writing does not require an IRB, even where participants aren’t anonymized. Additionally, students from American University’s Wasted Food Course will have research that is likely exempt from IRB. If you have questions about how to proceed, please reach out to your institution’s IRB office. The editors and faculty advisors for Food-Fueled can also help to give suggestions for how to proceed with the IRB process.

PREVIOUS ISSUES

Previous issues of Food-Fueled feature manuscripts from high school and college students all across the United States. The editors are thrilled to share these with you.

Volume II (2025)

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 (2024)

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
Contact us at inquiries_ff@american.edu.