Hema Kesa

Hema Kesa holds a Doctorate and Masters in Food Service Management (Specializing in community Nutrition) and a Master of Science in Food and Nutrition Security. She is the Director of the Food Evolution Research Laboratory (FERL), a virtual lab and an Extended Reality (XR) facility located within the School of Tourism and Hospitality, UJ. She is also a council member for the Nutrition Society of South Africa (NSSA). Her research interests are in community nutrition and food security specifically focusing on the evolution of food, food environments and its impact on health. She and the FERL play a key role in encouraging the awareness of good nutrition in communities and the Food Service Industry. She has a keen interest in the use of technology in research as well as teaching and learning. Her current projects are linked to Extended Reality (XR) technology and mobile applications as a tool for data collection, training and nutrition education for students, communities, and employers.