Asnake Ararsa Irenso

I'm a public health nutrition researcher with 15 years of experience. I translate research evidence from complex food security challenges into practical recommendations and community-led solutions. My work spans from Africa to remote Aboriginal communities in Australia. This experience gave me cross-cultural research expertise to understand and address nutrition challenges in diverse settings.

What I bring to your project:

My approach focuses on listening first, then working with communities to create solutions together rather than imposing them. At Monash University, I led a feasibility study on benchmarking for healthy stores. I collaborated with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and food system stakeholders to implement co-developed strategies for healthier community stores. This showed clear improvements in both store operations and community food purchasing.

Real-world impact through rigorous research:

I don't just study problems, I partner with communities to develop evidence-based, locally feasible solutions. My PhD research examined social networks and child feeding practices in Ethiopia, recommending practical approaches co-designed with community elders, religious leaders, and parent groups. This holistic approach helped identify what to do and how to implement community-led solutions.

From data to action:

I make complex research accessible to different audiences. I analyse large datasets, conduct systematic reviews, and lead community-based research. I translate findings into policy briefs and practical recommendations that stakeholders can use. My recent work on Ethiopia's food safety issues employed a political-economic approach, demonstrating how power imbalances contribute to contamination problems. This systems thinking helps inform the development of better interventions.

Technical expertise with human connection:

I use statistical analysis tools (STATA, SPSS, R) and qualitative analysis software (NVivo, Atlas.ti). My strength lies in building trust across diverse cultural settings. I work with community members, clinicians, policymakers, and academic teams to ensure research processes respect diverse perspectives while maintaining scientific standards.

Why choose me:

Organisations work with me because I develop evidence-based solutions that work in real settings. I understand that nutrition challenges involve more than just food; they are also connected to climate, culture, poverty, location, and the way communities live. This broader view, combined with experience implementing solutions across diverse cultural settings, enables me to develop interventions that communities will accept and continue using.

I can bring this community-led, evidence-based approach to food security, nutrition, or public health challenges.