In my book, From Farm to Canal Street, I tell the story of how Chinatown's food network operates amid—and against the grain of—the global trend to consolidate food production and distribution. This work is based on 10 years of ethnographic research to understand the development of a food system that displays unique and alternative characteristics to the industrial food system.

I am working with Stephen Fan, architect and designer, to use a tested framework developed by City As Living Laboratory to engage art with science in community forums to investigate and promote sustainable urban food systems.

Food equity includes the right to food that is cul­turally appropriate. That right is challenged in immigrant neighborhoods where the participants and spaces of food production, distribution, and consumption are contested.

The McNair Scholars Program diversifies doctoral degree holders in the US. Supported by the US Department of Education, it provides summer research stipends and other supports for underrepresented minority, low-income and first generation students to be gain acceptance in graduate degree programs.

The Source Project is a first-year research immersion program in the humanities and social sciences at Binghamton University that I piloted in 2018 with the support of faculty and senior leadership. Now it thrives as a feature program of Binghamton. Students grapple with societal concerns by engaging in research, presenting, and publishing their work to become knowledge producers.

Materials Matter is an interdisciplinary curriculum and research project at Binghamton University that integrate humanities, art, and science for 21st century liberal arts education.

We explore woodland, grassland, and wetland sites at the River and Field Campus to learn the taxonomy and cultural significance of native and invasive species.

In this second part of a two course sequence, students design a research project to integrate various social science research methods in the study of a place-based topic. They analyze and interpret empirical data and learn to effectively present research in oral and written form.

Featuring recipes, detailed profiles, and behind-the-scenes photographs from 43 restaurants covering some 18 cuisines across 24 neighborhoods, Made Here is a handsome new tome self-published by Send Chinatown Love.

We will be able to expand Washington College's River and Field Campus through the generous support of Mt. Cuba Center. Their mission to preserve native plants through thoughtful cultivation and garden design is consistent with ours.

For Dr. Valerie Imbruce, the journey to becoming Director of Washington College’s Center for Environment and Society (CES) began with an undergraduate trip to the remote cloud forests of Ecuador and found its way to researching the provenance of exotic fruits and vegetables in Chinatown.

Imbruce will present on "Food Justice and Urban Change in a Historic Chinese Neighborhood" at the Global Asia Colloquium at NYU on April 19, 2024, 4 - 7pm in 53 Washington Square South (KJCC) room 701.

Secretary Kurtz and members of his leadership team visited us at Washington College to strengthen our partnerships. Read more here.

The launch party is on November 13 at The Red Pavilion in Bushwick. Come for readings from the book, small bites, music, a raffle, and community to toast this volunteer-created cookbook.