I'm Merle, a scientist for agriculture and food studies
Discover more about my scientific research
My research aims to understand how urbanization, climate change, and digitalization shape food choices and sustainability in these regions.
Deeply informed by feminist and socio-ecological justice perspectives, I’m emphasizing on the need to create networks of care and to transform food environments and agri-food systems in ways that promote intersectional equity. From investigating the impacts of climate change on tensions in agriculture around GM crops and pesticide toxicity to studying the interrelations between sustainability, digitalization, and food consumption practices in urban food environments of low- and middle-income countries, my goal is to bridge academic research with real-world activism – boosting the visibility of marginalized communities and fostering resilience.
If you’re interested in learning more about my research and my students’ work, feel free to scroll through this Website for a deeper dive into my projects and publications.
Currently, I am pursuing my Geography dissertation within the transdisciplinary Indo-German NutriAIDE project, where I explore urban food environments in South Asia (India) and Latin America (Mexico) through the lens of consumption practices. My research aims to understand how urbanization, climate change, and digitalization shape food choices and sustainability in these regions.
MY CV
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CENTER FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE
Project coordinator nutriaide
Since april 2025, University of Augsburg, Germany
PhD researcher
since 2022, University of Augsburg, Germany
- Ministry of Agriculture and Nutrition (BMEL) funded Indo-German transdisciplinary project NutriAIDE
-research on food environments in India and Mexico
-development of an AI based app for healthy and sustainable nutrition - 2022/23 & 2024/25 fieldwork scholarships for women in research by the UA office for diversity
COLECTIVO DE LOS CHENES
One year traineeship in a grassroots Maya NGO
2018-2019 in Campeche, Mexico
- Participatory epidemiology on the health effects of pesticides
- Systematization of agrarian programs and public politics, and impact analysis on a local level
Academic Background
LATIN AMERICAN INSTITUTE, FU BERLIN
Master (M.A) Interdisciplinary Latin American Studies
2018-2021, Berlin, Germany
- Finale grade: 1,4 (very good)
- Thesis “Agrochemical impacts on the environment and health: socioecological inequalities and social(de)mobilization. Maya and Mennonites in Mexico”
- 6 month research scholarship PROMOS by the DAAD Berlin, Germany | 2019 – October 2021
OTTO-SUHR INSTITUTE, FU BERLIN
Bachelor (B.A.) Political Science
Berlin, Germany | 2014 – 2019
FREIE WALDORFSCHULE, TÜBINGEN
German high school degree (Abitur)
Tübingen, Germany | 2001 – 2014
- Final Grade: 1,6 (very good)
Languages
German
- native speaker
English
- fluent, C2 (Cambridge Advanced English Certificate)
Spanish
- fluent, C2 (Diploma de Español D.E.L.E.)
French
- proficient, B2 (Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française)
Publications
-> Scientific Articles:
- Die Erde, Special Issue Food Justice (2025, in print)
Open Access: Disrupting Colonial Trauma Through the Hyperconsumption of Outside Foods in India? A Digital Food Consumer Citizenship
- Ichan Tecolotl
Open Access (Spanish Language Article): El sufrimiento socioambiental por la muerte de abejas como eje de la movilización colectiva maya en Hopelchén, Península de Yucatán
- Social & Cultural Geography
Open Access: From the Wealthy-Healthy-Chubby Nexus to Outside Foods – Changing Food Consumption Practices in India and Mexico
- Geographien Südasiens (2025) + Editorial Team
Open Access: Digital Food Consumer Citizenship Beyond The Indian State
- Geographien Südasiens (2024)
-Single Author
Open Access: Urban food environments in India and Mexico
- Die Erde (2023)
-First Author
- Leibniz Sozietät (2019)
– Second Author (German Language Article)
In “Migration und Interkulturalität. Theorien – Methoden – Praxisbezüge”, Ed. K. Störl
-> Media Articles:
- New York Times (2025)
– research assistance
” The Mennonite Colony That Made a Deal With a Diamond Company“
(Cover Story Print Version June 24, 2025)
- National Geographic (2021)
– research assistance
“Cultivos de la discordia en Campeche. Mayas y menonitas colisionan por la tierra y su futuro”
(Cover Story in the Print Version Latin America, June 2021)
- National Geographic (2019)
– research assistance
” An unlikely feud between beekeepers and Mennonites simmers in Mexico“
(Online, World Press Awards 2019: Second place environmental reportage)
Reviewing
International Experiences
HAVANA UNIVERSITY
2016, Havana, Cuba
- University exchange for 2 months
FRANKFORT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
2011-2012, Frankfort-USA
- Schooling abroad for 11 months with YFU
- Graduation on Honorary Roll (excellent)
LYCÉE JEAN-VICTOR PONCELET
2010, Saint Avold, France
- School exchange for 6 months through Voltaire, a Bundestag and Assemblée nationale scholarship
Volunteering
Culture management & booking
- Maria Moctezuma concert tours 2019
and 2021 in 7 EU countries
Organization of the annual
Culture Festival Hanal Balam
- Festival in the Maya town Huechen Balam in Yucatán, Mexico (since 2019)
My philosophy
01
Science
Scientific evidence and ethics are key to understanding socio-ecological developments.
02
Food environments
Food environments are central interfaces in production and consumption.
03
Sustainability
A sustainable life on earth is still possible, when combined with justice and resilience.
References
Your Food. Your choice!
I help you shape the future through a hands-on scientific approach to agriculture and food environments. Let’s get in touch!
Scientific work ethic
Trustworthy expertise
Knowledge through data
La Via Campesina and Slow Food
Guest Blog Post by Valentina Bendl “La Via Campesina and Slow Food: Challenging the Status Quo through Food Movements” In this in-depth guest post, Valentina Bendl explores how global food movements such as La Via Campesina and Slow Food offer alternative models to the dominant corporate food regime. Through the…
What are Food environments, and how do they get characterized?
Discover more about food environments with this handsome visual!
NutriAIDE: An app-based solution to smarter nutritional environments
Discover how the mobile app Nutri-Aide helps to shape food environments and enables a healthy life for everyone through nutrition.
Interdisciplinary Research on Food Environments
Discover more about food environments and what meaning they have for everyone's life.
Urban Food Environments in India and Mexico
Discover how urban food environments shape they way we live in our society.
The Rise of Digital Food Culture: Consumer Citizenship and Eating Beyond Borders
Discover how the way food is consumed digitally is helping both bridge and accentuate social divides.
Follow me on my journey!
