Patricia Williams

Up one level

P Williams Patricia Williams, PhD, PDt

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Food Security and Policy Change
Department of Applied Human Nutrition and Director, Participatory Action Research and Training Center on Food Security

2 Melody Drive, Mount Saint Vincent University,
166 Bedford Highway, Halifax, NS, B3M 2J6

msvu.ca

Ph: 902-457-6394

Fax: 902-457-6480

Education and Training:

Dalhousie University - 2001-03

CIHR Postdoctoral Fellow in Health Promotion and Food Security

Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre (AHPRC)

University of British Columbia - 2001

Ph.D. Interdisciplinary Studies

Mount Saint Vincent University - 1989

B.Sc.HEc. Foods and Nutrition

(with Co-Op and Dietetics Internship)

Prior to completing her PHD, Dr. Williams worked for six years as a dietitian in a variety of settings including the Janeway Child Health Center in St. John’s, NF and the Grace Maternity Hospital in Halifax, NS.
Current Teaching Areas:

Methods in Nutrition Research(GAHN 6608)
Community Education (GAHN 6616)
Issues in Food Security (GAHN 6617)

Research Interests:

My research currently focuses on the use of participatory research processes to engage multiple inter-sectoral partners in the issue of food security, and capacity building processes for policy change. This has included food costing research in partnership with communities to examine the affordability of a nutritious diet among households vulnerable to food insecurity due to income, the availability of locally produced foods, and the experience of food insecurity using structured dialogue methods. Our newly funded Community University Research Alliance (CURA) Activating Change Together (ACT) for Community Food Security (CFS) aims to engage a broad range of stakeholders—including those most vulnerable to food insecurity— in a strategic research coalition to better understand the determinants of CFS while strengthening capacity for improved food security policy at multiple levels. My program of research also includes national collaborative studies examining strategies for influencing food security related policy and where food security is on the policy agenda at the federal level. I have also led the development of basic language knowledge translation tools with community members and evaluation of their use in building capacity for policy change in NS and across Canada. This collaborative research has result in a strong network of individuals/organizations committed to increasing food security on local, provincial and national levels, and my team has secured over $7,000,000 in funding over ten years for numerous community-based food security research projects and to establish the Participatory Action Research and Training Center on Food Security at MSVU.

The Participatory Action Research and Training Centre on Food Security:

The Centre supports an interdisciplinary research program that enhances the capacity to address food insecurity in collaboration with students, faculty, community members, practitioners, and decision/policy-makers. Working together, collaborators come from various lived experiences, perspectives, disciplines, research centres, organizations, and sectors to bridge MSVU to communities, other Canadian universities, and governments.

For more information about the Participatory Action Research and Training Centre on Food Security and the Food Security Projects please visit http://www.foodsecurityresearchcentre.ca

Selected Published Referred Papers:

Noseworthy BL, Williams PL, Blum I, MacLeod M. The Availability and Relative Cost

of Locally Produced Foods in Grocery Stores in Nova Scotia. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition. 2011: 6(2): 188-206

Williams PL, McIntyre L, Glanville T. Milk Insecurity: Accounts of a Food Insecurity Phenomenon in Canada and Its Relation to Public Policy. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition 2010: 5(2): 142-157

Langille, L, Romanow, P, Munro I, Lyons R, Bull A and Williams, PL. Building Collaborative Capacity for Research and Influencing Policy: The Rural Communities Impacting Policy (RCIP) Project. Journal of Rural and Community Development 2008:3(3):23-55.

Carlsson L, and Williams PL . New Approaches to the Health Promoting School: Participation in Sustainable Food Systems. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition 2008;3(4): 400-417.

Green R, Williams PL, Blum I and Johnson CSJ. Can Canadian seniors on public pensions afford a nutritious diet? Canadian Journal on Aging 2008;27(1):69-79.

McIntyre L, Williams PL, Glanville NT. Milk as Metaphor: Low-income lone mothers' characterization of their challenges acquiring milk for their families. Ecology of Food and Nutrition. 2007;46(3):263-279.

Williams PL, Johnson CP, Kratzmann MLV, Johnson CSJ, Anderson BJ, Chenhall C. Can households earning minimum wage in Nova Scotia afford a nutritious diet? Canadian Journal of Public Health. 2006;97(6):430-4.

Research Reports:

Mount Saint Vincent University and Nova Scotia Food Security Network. Cost and Affordability of a Nutritious Diet in Nova Scotia: Report of 2010 Food Costing. Halifax, NS. (Principal Investigator)

Hamelin AM, Williams PL, Lowitt K, Reimer D. The Implications of Access to Local Food Systems for Health. Synthesis Paper for the Food Security Knowledge Initiative: Building Effective Models for Community Mobilization Planning, Jan 29, 2010 (Principal Investigator)

Williams PL, Vogel E, Gillis D, Johnson C, Reimer D. Community Mobilization and Capacity Building for Policy and Social Change to Address Food Access Issues. Synthesis Paper for the Food Security Knowledge Initiative: Building Effective Models for Community Mobilization Planning, May 15, 2010 (Principal Investigator)

Williams PL, Gillis D, Johnson C, Reimer D, Vogel E. The Use of Deliberative Dialogue Processes in the Nova Scotia Community University Research Alliance: Activating Policy Change for Community Food Security. Synthesis Paper for the Food Security Knowledge Initiative: Building Effective Models for Community Mobilization Planning, Mar 28, 2010 (Principal Investigator)

Williams PL, Vogel E, Roberts S, Hamelin AM, Church J, Vanderplatt, Matheson L, Leblanc C, Taylor S, Yamkowy B, and Cody J, Building Capacity for Food Security through Policy Change: Exploring Food Security at the Federal Level Through a Systems Lens. Final Report submitted to Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research; 2010 (Principal Investigator)

Rowsell R, Reimer D, Llewellyn J, Ramen S, and Williams PL of Sub Node Three, Atlantic Social Economy and Sustainability Research Network. Report: 2010 Forum on Community Food Security and the Social Economy. Final Report submitted toCanadian Social Economy Research Partnerships (CSERP)(Principal Investigator)

Abstracts/Presentations:

Williams PL. Participatory Action Research and the Food Movement: Issues, Ideas and Insights. Canadian Association for Food Studies, Congress May 28-30, 2011. University of New Brunswick, Fredericton NB. (Session organizer): Williams PL, Anderson B, and Cohen S. Ethical Challenges and Opportunities; Johnson C, Gillis D, and MacAulay R. Issues, Ideas, and Insights for Knowledge Mobilization in Participatory Action Research ; Williams PL, Watt C, and Hunter H. Issues, Ideas, and Insights for Advocacy in Participatory Action Research;Reimer D, Williams PL, Langille L. Policy Change. Participatory Action Research.

Williams PL, Reimer D, Amero M, Anderson B, Gillis D, Green R. A Model for Sustainable Action on Food

Security: Participatory Food Costing in Nova Scotia, Canada. 20th IUHPE World Conference on Health

Promotion. July 11-15, 2010. Geneva, Switzerland. (Paper)

Williams PL, Power E, Koc, M, Bertrand L. Invited Session. Dietitians moving the food movement: Building

capacity for food security in Canada… beyond 2010. Dietitians of Canada Conference, May 28-29, 2010.

Montreal, Quebec. (Session)

McLachlan S, Anderson C, Rojas A, Williams PL. An Exploration of Three Recently Awarded Community

University Alliances (CURAs) that Address Community Food Insecurity and Social Justice across Canada.

Canadian Association for Food Studies Fifth Annual General Meeting, May 27, 2010, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Ont. (Session)

Carlsson L. Williams PL, Lordly D, Hayes-Conroy JS, Cultivating Food Security in Nova Scotia Public Schools:

A Case Study of an Elementary School Garden Project. Canadian Association for Food Studies Fifth Annual

General Meeting, May 27, 2010, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Ont. (Paper)

Levkoe C, Williams PL, Baker L, Kneen C, Roberts, S. Regional Perspectives on The Canadian Food Movement. Canadian Association for Food Studies Fifth Annual General Meeting, May 27, 2010, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Ont. (Session)

Pourier, D, Yu V and Williams PL. Pilot Study of Participatory Food Costing Research Methods and Tools in

Nova Scotia. Canadian Association for Food Studies Fifth Annual General Meeting, May 27, 2010,

Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Ont. (Paper)

Invited Addresses:

Williams PL, LeBlanc K, Smith D, Langille L and Watt C. Food Security in Nova Scotia: An Opportunity for

Leadership, NS Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Community Services, 1-3pm, June 7th, 2011.

Williams PL, Vogel E. Food Security Policy at the Federal Level: Why are we stuck and how can we move forward together? Presentation for CFDR Together Advancing Nutrition, Breakfast and Research Showcase. Toronto ON, May 5, 2011

Williams PL, Watt C. Kraft Dinner or Rutabaga: Is there really a choice? Presentation for Social Workers Month/Nutrition Month, QEII. March 31st, 2011.

Williams PL. Bring our Future Together Food Policy Council Presentation. Seaport Market, Nov 22, 2010

Williams PL. Doing the Math: A Look at Food Insecurity in Nova Scotia. Take Action on Poverty Conference. Truro NS, October, 2010

Williams PL. Food Security in Nova Scotia: Making healthy food accessible for all. Food Policy Council Meeting, Greenwich, NS. January 17, 2010.