The Deputy Vice Chancellor Planning, Research and Innovation, Prof. Charles Mutai (Seated Center), on his left, Prof. Dr. Werner Sommer and his wife, Mrs. Sommer together with the MMUST team during the courtesy call to his office.
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology on 3 October, 2023, hosted a prestigious seminar on ‘’. The seminar attracted a keynote address from Prof. Dr. Werner Sommer of the Department of Psychology, Humboldt – University in Berlin, Germany. It brought together renowned scholars, esteemed experts, and students from MMUST’s Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Educational Psychology, eager to delve into the intricacies of why we eat what we eat and the psychological underpinnings that shape our food preferences. The event provided an opportunity for the attendees to deeply understand the complex relationship between psychology and food preferences, ultimately empowering them to advise on the matter, and make more mindful and nutritious food choices in their daily lives. The seminar also gave the scholars a chance to share their research and insights on various topics with the attendees, contributing towards the University’s mission of advancing learning and betterment of society.
On 2nd September 2023, Prof. Dr. Werner Sommer together with his wife, Mrs. Sommer paid a courtesy call to the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Planning, Research and Innovation (DVC PR&I), Prof. Charles Mutai. He welcomed them into the University and appreciated them for their presence in the University. Prof. Mutai was hopeful that the seminar was the first step towards building the bonds between the two institutions. He shared his commitment as the DVC PR&I, towards fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and discovery.
“I believe that it is at the intersection of disciplines and cultures that some of the most profound insights are born. I hope this visit and seminar will serve as a stepping stone towards further collaboration, where the synergy of our efforts will yield insights that benefit humanity as a whole,” said Prof. Mutai.
Prof. Charles Mutai addressing the visitors and MMUSTteam during the courtesy call.
In his address, Prof. Dr. Sommer noted that food is of great importance for both physical health and the environment. He stressed on the fact that our food preferences play a pivotal role in shaping our daily food choices, adding that these preferences are the result of a complex interplay of cultural, social, psychological, and physiological factors.
Prof. Dr. Sommer further shared the studies that he had done jointly with colleagues from his University back in Berlin, attempting to modify some of these preferences. “In two studies we used post-hypnotic suggestions in order to foster healthy and plant-based food preferences and investigated the neural correlates of the modifications. In a recent, yet unpublished study conducted in Kenya, we explored the power of storytelling to pre-school children in modifying their food preferences,” he said.
MMUST’s Professor of Nutritional Science, Prof. Asenath Sigot used the chance to remind the attendees that 2023 is the International Year of Millets, as declared by the United Nation (UN). In her presentation titled ‘2023 International Year of Millets: Untapped Underutilized Functional Food’, Prof. Sigot mentioned that the goal of the declaration was to create awareness of millet as a cereal. She pointed out that the cereal had been neglected and designated as an orphan crop, yet it stands out as the panacea to our changing climate, and lifestyle conditions while meeting our nutritional needs.
“Because of their important contribution in food security and potential health benefits, millet grains are now the main topic of research for food scientists. Various processing techniques are being developed to enhance nutritional quality, improving the digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients with reduction in anti-nutrient content,” she stated.
Additionally, Prof. Sigot raised the need to promote millet utilization as food in developing countries, by channelling attention towards encouragement of research works and projects for studying the processing aspects, new product development, and nutritional enhancement of processed foods. “The nutraceutical potential and health benefits of millet are high and processing them or fulfilment of the dietary needs of global population and alleviation of malnutrition in developing countries should be a priority,” she added.
Prof. Asenath Sigot making her presentation at the seminar.
Speaking during an interview, the Chairperson of the Department of Educational Psychology, Dr. Edward Okaya appreciated the seminar, saying that it was very instrumental in linking psychology to food and nutrition. He shared his enthusiasm, explaining that the seminar had proven to be immensely valuable for his team. With a gleam of excitement in his eyes, Dr. Okaya emphasized how the insights and strategies presented during the event, perfectly aligned with his department’s current goals.
“Children have several foods likes and dislikes that need to be addressed for their holistic development. Certainly, this area opens up room for further research in collaboration with the department of nutrition so that we can advance our strategies in assisting children to handle food challenges that they face,” said Dr. Okaya.
Further, he remarked that the seminar had not only expanded his own knowledge but also offered practical solutions that could be directly applied to improve the department’s work, including research. Dr. Okaya’s words resonated with his colleagues’, as they acknowledged that the seminar left them eager to implement the newfound knowledge and inspired by the possibilities that it had unveiled in their department’s future success.
Participants pose for a group photo after the seminar.
The seminar attracted several other presentations from MMUST scholars including, Dr. Anne Aswani from the Department of Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Aswani made a presentation on ‘Opening the Black Box of the Kitchen: A Case of African Leafy Vegetables Consumption in Kenya’, and Mr. Kefa Ogeche of the Department of Biological Sciences – ‘Production of Ganoderma Mushroom and Spawn Production Unit’. It is also worth noting that the discussions were moderated on By Prof. Kennedy Bota, an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and the Associate Dean, School of Education.
Seminars are a vital component of the academic landscape, serving as a platform for knowledge sharing, academic growth, and community engagement. They contribute to the overall mission of higher learning institution’s mandate of advancing learning, conducting research, and the advancement of society. Additionally, it is vital for scholars to embrace the multidisciplinary approach in research for maximum results in advancing knowledge, addressing complex challenges, fostering innovation, and improving the practical applicability of research findings.
By Caren Nekesa
