# Preetha Thomas
**Source**: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/10435
**Parent**: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2707
Dr
# Preetha Thomas
Email:
: [preetha.thomas@uq.edu.au](mailto:preetha.thomas@uq.edu.au)
Phone:
: [+61 7 336 55436](tel:+61 7 336 55436)
## Positions
Director Teaching and Learning (and Senior Lecturer)
: School of Public Health
: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences
## Overview
### Availability
Dr Preetha Thomas is:
: Available for supervision
### Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, Bharathiar University
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of London
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
### Research interests
- #### Food sovereignty
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- #### Migrant food practice and health
Food culture
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- #### Food systems
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## Works
[Search Professor Preetha Thomas’s works on UQ eSpace](http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/list/author_id/8520)
[All
(8)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/10435/all)
[Journal Article
(2)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/10435/4748)
[Other Outputs
(1)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/10435/4749)
[Conference Publication
(2)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/10435/4751)
[Book Chapter
(3)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/10435/4752)
2025
Book Chapter
##### In search of a recipe: ‘When I cook our food, I belong – my food centres me’
Thomas, Preetha (2025). In search of a recipe: ‘When I cook our food, I belong – my food centres me’. Food, culture and society in India: social, political, economic and cultural perspectives. (pp. 173-190) edited by Rituparna Patgiri and Gurpinder Singh Lalli. New York, NY, United States: Berghann Books. doi: 10.3167/9781836952541
[In search of a recipe: ‘When I cook our food, I belong – my food centres me’](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:e2fe494)
2024
Journal Article
##### Traditional African vegetables knowledge translation: a scoping review
Mdimi, Meab Clara, Dent, Benjamin, Reid, Simon, Makindara, Jeremia and Thomas, Preetha (2024). Traditional African vegetables knowledge translation: a scoping review. Sustainability, 16 (21) 9421, 1-20. doi: 10.3390/su16219421
[Traditional African vegetables knowledge translation: a scoping review](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:f932c03)
2021
Journal Article
##### Nutrient and food intake of Indonesian children under 5 years of age: a systematic review
Arini, Hesti Retno Budi, Hadju, Veni, Thomas, Preetha and Ferguson, Megan (2021). Nutrient and food intake of Indonesian children under 5 years of age: a systematic review. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 34 (1), 25-35. doi: 10.1177/10105395211041001
[Nutrient and food intake of Indonesian children under 5 years of age: a systematic review](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:3663eb0)
2018
Book Chapter
##### ‘A little bit of rice, a little bit of fish curry’: food practices of Malayali nurses in Brisbane, Australia
Thomas, Preetha, Schubert, Lisa, Whittaker, Andrea and Sébastia, Brigitte (2018). ‘A little bit of rice, a little bit of fish curry’: food practices of Malayali nurses in Brisbane, Australia. Who decides? Competing narratives in constructing tastes, consumption and choice. (pp. 173-192) edited by Nina B. Namaste and Marta Nadales Ruiz. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill Rodopi. doi: 10.1163/9789004365247\_011
[‘A little bit of rice, a little bit of fish curry’: food practices of Malayali nurses in Brisbane, Australia](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:723081)
2017
Conference Publication
##### The food-health-culture interface: Dietary practices of South Indian migrants in Brisbane, Australia
Thomas, Preetha, Schubert, Lisa and Whittaker, Andrea (2017). The food-health-culture interface: Dietary practices of South Indian migrants in Brisbane, Australia. 21st International Congress of Nutrition, Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 2017. Basel, Switzerland: Karger.
[The food-health-culture interface: Dietary practices of South Indian migrants in Brisbane, Australia](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:709304)
2016
Other Outputs
##### An exploration of dietary practices among South Indians in Brisbane, Australia
Thomas, Preetha (2016). An exploration of dietary practices among South Indians in Brisbane, Australia. PhD Thesis, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.1126
[An exploration of dietary practices among South Indians in Brisbane, Australia](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:411264)
2015
Book Chapter
##### Food cultures and the diaspora: Kerala nurses in Brisbane
Thomas, Preetha, Schubert, Lisa, Whittaker, Andrea and Sebastia, Brigette (2015). Food cultures and the diaspora: Kerala nurses in Brisbane. Tasting cultures- thoughts for food. (pp. 37-49) Oxford, United Kingdom: Inter-Disciplinary Press. doi: 10.1163/9781848884496\_005
[Food cultures and the diaspora: Kerala nurses in Brisbane](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:377936)
2012
Conference Publication
##### Where has the lecturer gone? Multimedia scenarios in undergraduate nutrition curriculum
Schubert, L., Walsh, A., Thomas, P. and Harb, T. (2012). Where has the lecturer gone? Multimedia scenarios in undergraduate nutrition curriculum. 2nd International Critical Dietetics Conference, Sydney NSW Australia, 1-2 September 2012.
[Where has the lecturer gone? Multimedia scenarios in undergraduate nutrition curriculum](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:377884)
## Funding
### Past funding
- 2019 - 2020
Deadly Choices Healthy Lifestyle Program Evaluation of State wide Implementation
Institute for Urban Indigenous Health
[Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/39268)
## Supervision
### Availability
Dr Preetha Thomas is:
: Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on [how to choose a supervisor](https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/how-to-choose-a-supervisor).
### Supervision history
#### Current supervision
- Doctor Philosophy
##### Exploration of food environments as drivers of consumption
Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
[Associate Professor Megan Ferguson](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/22294)
#### Completed supervision
- 2025
Doctor Philosophy
##### [Applying Value Chain Principles for Knowledge Translation (KT) across the Traditional African Vegetables (TAVs) Value Chain in Tanzania](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:1fc2e3d)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
[Professor Simon Reid](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2707)
- 2022
Doctor Philosophy
##### [A systems thinking approach to better understand the causal relationships driving child stunting in the Lao PDR](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:19f3791)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
[Dr Russell Richards](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/10908), [Professor Simon Reid](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2707), [Associate Professor Nina Lansbury](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/4151)
## Media
### Enquiries
For media enquiries about Dr Preetha Thomas's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:
[communications@uq.edu.au](mailto:communications@uq.edu.au)
## External profiles
- [ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2135-9907)
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