In this series, we're sitting down with Swette Center affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Faculty Profiles page.
Read on for an interview with Tyler DesRoches, Associate Professor in the School of Sustainability.
How did you become interested in food systems?
My interest in sustainable food systems is rooted in a diverse background in philosophy, applied ethics, and economics. For me, food holds a central place in life, intersecting with culture, choice, health, and community—all deeply interconnected. My focus on sustainable food systems sharpened when I was appointed College Catalyst for Principled Innovation (alongside Becky Tsang) at The College, leading to the founding of ASU Farm: Cultivating Plants, People, and Planet.
The idea for ASU Farm began taking shape in spring 2024 when a group of ASU faculty and staff partnered with Maya Dailey of Maya’s Farm in South Phoenix. Grounded in ASU’s commitment to Principled Innovation, this initiative places character and values at the core of decision-making. Our guiding virtues—adaptation, care, cooperation, environmental stewardship, environmental humility, and a strong work ethic—reflect our mission to cultivate both the land and a thriving community.
At ASU Farm, we strive to reconnect people with each other and the land, fostering a deeper understanding of our interdependence with the natural world. Through sustainable practices and holistic education, we aim to build character, inspire stewardship, and empower students as whole people.
Can you share a glimpse of your current research and how it relates to food systems transformation?
My research on food systems transformation is quite limited! I come to sustainable food systems as an outsider. That said, I am currently working on a manuscript with co-authors on the topic of freedom and the ethics of promoting plant-based diets in universities. Our paper examines the ethical implications of universities increasing plant-based food options in their dining services. Our focus is whether such initiatives infringe upon student freedom, and we argue that while freedom is an important ethical consideration, these initiatives can be implemented without unjustifiable interference if certain conditions are met. Our paper explores two primary ethical concerns: coercion and freedom of choice. Coercion, in this context, refers to whether reducing meat options forces students into plant-based diets. We distinguish between coercion through pressure (threats or penalties) and enforcement (structuring choices in a way that limits alternatives), and we argue that universities can avoid coercion by retaining some animal-based food options and ensuring that plant-based meals are nutritionally adequate and appealing.
We suggest that while reducing meat options may limit some preferences, it can also enhance autonomy by exposing students to sustainable dietary choices. Ultimately, we propose four key ethical guidelines for university plant-based initiatives:
- Avoid stigmatizing meat consumption in public messaging.
- Retain some animal-based foods and ensure plant-based substitutes are nutritionally fortified.
- Adjust the transition's aggressiveness based on student support.
- Make plant-based options appealing to encourage voluntary adoption.
In the end, we argue that while plant-based initiatives may influence student food choices, they do not necessarily constitute unethical coercion if implemented thoughtfully.
What’s an innovation in food systems you’re excited about?
I had a conversation recently with the leader of the Indoor Farming Lab over at the ASU Polytechnic campus, and got a lot of information about what they're doing out there. They focus mainly on hydroponics and producing food in a controlled environment that is stable, requires very little water, and doesn’t need soil. It’s certainly an interesting option when you're thinking about sustainable food systems! Given the anticipated disruptions from climate change, building redundancies into sustainable food systems is essential for enhancing resilience and even achieving antifragility. This will probably require diversifying food production methods, and hydroponics offers an innovative solution to support this goal.
What’s your favorite weeknight meal?
I would have to say a vegetable burrito cooked on the stove top. You can’t go wrong with a nice, warm veggie burrito, especially with lots of hot sauce.