Eva Roos, adjunct professor and group leader at the Folkhälsan Research Center, has been appointed Professor of Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics at Uppsala University as of 1.1.2021.
Eva Roos, adjunct professor and research group leader at Folkhälsan Research Center, will be the new Professor of Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics, at Uppsala University. In recent years, her research at Folkhälsan has focused mainly on examining the importance of the social and physical environment for children's health behaviours, and how socio-economic background factors affect children's health.
– In my professorship in at Uppsala University, I will have an overall responsibility for research and education at the doctoral level meal research, and be responsible for the development of this field of science, says Eva.
Throughout her career, Eva Roos has been involved in academic research. During her early studies, she worked as a research assistant for Ritva Prättälä, who later became the supervisor for her masters' thesis, doctoral dissertation, and a mentor for life.
My interest in research probably stems from my curiosity and my need to constantly learn something new.
After graduating from her master's studies, Eva worked as a nutritionist in a cancer research project at the National Institute of Public Health (now THL). However, she noticed that she was more interested in the equality aspects of public health. As such, she started doctoral studies in nutritional science from a social medicine perspective.
– For the following five years I worked with my supervisor, Professor Eero Lahelma, on the subjects of equality and health at the University of Helsinki, says Eva.Thereafter, I was offered the opportunity to work as Senior Researcher at Folkhälsan Research Center. Here at the Research Center, I have gradually built up my research team, and now I am also part of the research center's management group.
– My interest in research probably stems from my curiosity and my need to constantly learn something new. Simultaneously, it is extra motivating to work within interdisciplinary research, where the goal is to collaboratively increase the understanding of today's public health problems and find new ways to solve the problems, says Eva.
It feels a bit like the circle is closing now.
The professorship at Uppsala University will cover meal research. The research will include cultural and social as well as general health aspects. Eva Roos aims to investigate the importance of meals for public health - especially from a Nordic perspective. Collaboration with other scientists is a natural part of the professorship.
Roos is particularly interested in is the impact that different ways of arranging and supporting daycare and school meals in the Nordic countries can have for the equality of children and young peoples' health.
– It feels a bit like the circle is closing now. I started my research career with meal research, have since researched inequality in health and children's lifestyles. Now I return to meal research, says Eva.
Uppsala University was founded as early as 1477 and over the years has developed into one of Europe's foremost universities. The university has nine faculties, over 6,000 employees and almost 24,000 students.
- After a career of 15 years at FolkhäIsan Research Center I look forward to returning to the university world. Uppsala University feels like an excellent choice since it is the Nordic region's oldest university and is regularly ranked as one of Sweden's foremost institutions, Eva concludes.
