Dr. Saul Halfon, an associate professor in Science and Technology and Society, teaches a Food Politics Course at Virginia Tech. His PhD work focused on GMOs and the issues surrounding them when they were still in their early stages. Now he works with governing institutions and the ways they develop policies. Dr. Halfon is particularly interested in the politics of food security and his current research is an exploration of discourses and practices around food security. 

Additional areas of research for Dr. Halfon include the political sociology of technoscience, technical practices of policy institutions, reproductive health, public engagement with science and technology, and food studies. Dr. Halfon also serves as the director of graduate studies within the Department of Science, Technology, and Society at Virginia Tech, and co-chairs the theatre workshop in Science, Technology, and Society. 

When asked about the course Food Politics that he teaches, he shared that it explores the politics of food and how it applies to our lives. It dives into how food is struggled over in ways that we do not realize. Food shapes the world we live in, so it is important to understand how humans interact with it. The course takes a deep dive into how food is political and how the politics of food is a central organizing principle in society. 

Dr. Halfon also shared that the class incorporates flip grid videos to get students to think about the course concepts on a personal and applied level. He loves hearing the unique experiences with food that students share in dialogue, noting there are many great, meaningful discussions throughout the semester that are eye opening for everyone involved.