Undergraduate Research Student
University of Rhode Island
Francesca Fontaine is an undergraduate researcher in the Sustainable Dietary Innovations (SeDI) Lab at the University of Rhode Island, where she contributes to projects focused on sustainable food systems and dietary behavior. She has validated an Excel-based diet solver using USDA food composition data, compared it to commercial tools, and led the development of a sustainable eating assessment tool for URI dining halls through a competitive research grant. Her work demonstrates strong analytical and methodological skills, including survey design, data analysis in R, and interpretation of findings. She has presented her research at the College of Health Sciences Research Night and recently received the competitive Undergraduate Research Excellence Award. In addition to her research roles, Francesca serves as an undergraduate teaching assistant and mentors fellow students, reflecting her leadership and commitment to advancing public health and sustainability.