Dr Fatma Sabet

Profile Overview

I am an Egyptian-British academic dedicated to designing social transitions toward health equity. With a passion for resilient and just food systems and gender health equality, I blend academic expertise with hands-on experience as an applied researcher and food systems educator. As a social entrepreneur, I founded Shillingford Organics Farm School in Exeter, Southwest England, in 2016, connecting school and university students with sustainable farming and local food practices.

In 2019, I was awarded an ESRC Doctoral Scholarship, launching the UK’s first realist evaluation of sustainable school food. My research pioneered a planetary health framework for school food systems, integrating social, environmental, and economic assessments through a multi-disciplinary approach. Committed to creative, participatory methods, I advocate for research that drives real-world impact.

Academic & Research Roles

Sept 2019 – Dec 2022: ESRC Doctoral Researcher, School of Education, University of Exeter

Jan – Dec 2023: Postdoctoral Knowledge Exchange Research Fellow (Sustainable School Food, Cornwall). Based at the Penryn campus, I collaborated with Sustainable Food Cornwall and Cornwall Council to develop a strategy connecting schools, caterers, and local agroecological food producers. Business School, University of Exeter

Jan 2024 – March 2025: ESRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Business School, University of Exeter

April 2025 – Present: Research Fellow on the Impact of Menopause, Medical School, University of Exeter