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Currently a fourth-year Nutrition PhD candidate at UNC Gillings School of Public Health, Khristopher Nicholas is interested in the intersections of health, food, and sustainability. In this episode, we discuss his current research, which involves  food and water security in the Galápagos islands of Ecuador.

In his project "Food Environments in the Galápagos," Khristopher is using a three-pronged approach to tackle his research questions, which includes: 

1. collecting spatial data for food environment maps, 
2. using factor analysis to determine food purchasing strategies, and 
3. integrating qualitative methods to explore community perceptions of and attitudes toward their food environments. 

We also discuss the challenges and considerations involved in doing community-based research as an outsider, what drew him to nutrition as a field of study and how COVID-19 has influenced his research experience.

Important Links:

• Department of Nutrition, UNC Gillings School of Public Health 
• UNC Center for Galapagos Studies
• Carolina Population Center