LEAP conference: Call for papers

A flyer for a conference. The picture is of a brown chicken sitting on two eggs, one brown, another white, and on straw. The top left has a logo reading LEAP in dark blue. The top right says 2026. Below centre is written 22 April 2026, Worcester College,

LEAP conference: call for papers

Date posted: 20 January 2026

 

A multi-disciplinary one-day conference on the effects of meat and dairy on population health, the economy, society, and the environment.

When? Wednesday 22 April 2026

Where? Worcester College, Oxford

Registration opens later in February

 

Background

LEAP is an annual conference bringing together researchers working on aspects of meat and dairy production and consumption. The conference gets its name from the Wellcome-funded LEAP programme, that ran at Oxford from 2017 to 2024, and supported the initial events. Researchers at the conference explore the effects of meat and dairy production and consumption on population health, the economy, society, and the environment. While there is no overarching theme to the conference, all papers must foreground meat or dairy production or consumption. At past conferences, researchers have explored improving meat and dairy productivity and sustainability; changing patterns of meat and dairy consumption; the environmental and health consequences of meat and dairy production and consumption; policy and barriers to change concerning alternative proteins; wild or bush meat; meat and dairy economics; and the behavioural, social and historical aspects of consuming animal-sourced foods and more. 

The LEAP conference aims to build a community of researchers in this field to share evidence and tools to inform action.

Call for abstracts

Abstracts must directly relate to the theme of meat and dairy production and consumption. We are eager for researchers of all levels to participate, especially PhD/DPhil candidates and early-career researchers. 

There will be opportunities for both short oral presentations and posters (A1/A0 portrait format). Please note, opportunities for oral presentations are limited and oversubscribed. We aim to offer all those who submit an opportunity to present. If you are unsuccessful in securing an oral presentation, you will be offered a poster slot as an alternative. There will be prizes for best presentations (1 x poster, 1 x oral). 

To submit, please send the following information as a Word document to leap@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk by 17:00 on Sunday 8 March 2026.

  1. Name and affiliation
  2. Email
  3. Title of paper
  4. Brief abstract (300 words max)
  5. Preference for oral or poster presentation

Successful applicants will be notified by 25 March 2026.

Hybridity

We will be holding the conference in Oxford and oral and poster presentations will not be available online. The plenary sessions will be recorded and available online after the event. Abstracts will be available online. 

Contact

For queries or further information, please contact the Future of Food programme manager, Dr Lexi Earl

 

Additional side event

A flyer advertising an event on grant writing for ECRs on the 21 April

The THRIVING Food Futures ECR Network is excited to invite you to our first in-person event: an Introduction to Grant Writing session.

📅 Date: 21st April 2026
🕙 Time: 10.00–13.00 (session) | 13.00–14.00 (networking lunch)
📍 Location: University of Oxford (in-person only)

This session is designed to give ECRs an accessible introduction to grant writing, with insights from senior academics and THRIVING leads, including:
- Professor Martin White (University of Cambridge)
- Professor Jean Adams (University of Cambridge)
- Professor Katherine Smith (University of Strathclyde)
- Dr Christian Reynolds (City, University of London, Centre for Food Policy)

We’ll cover:
- Crafting strong research questions
- Routes to funding (fellowships, collaborative applications)
- Funding opportunities, including smaller or lesser-known grants
- What makes a proposal successful from a funder’s perspective

The session combines short talks, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities (including lunch) with other ECRs, senior academics, and researchers with funding experience.

This event is scheduled the day before the LEAP Conference in Oxford, making it a perfect opportunity to connect with the THRIVING community and fellow ECRs before the conference begins.

Places are limited – express your interest here: THRIVING Food Futures Early Career Research (ECR) Network In-Person Introduction to Grant Writing Session 21st April 2026 – Expression of Interest

We look forward to welcoming you and helping you take your first steps in successful grant applications!

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