Louis Rivet-Préfontaine

I am a sociologist (Ph.D.) trained at the University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. My fields of expertise are qualitative data collection and analysis, inter and intra-organizational social dynamics in the nonprofit sector, food security, and food waste. I have researched worker cooperative entrepreneurs in the province of Quebec, and food security nonprofits operating in a working-class district of the city of Montreal.

 

My approach to research puts great value on spending time with participating stakeholders. I believe that observing their operations, taking part in their work when possible, and having in-depth conversations with staff and board members as well as with volunteers and end users are the best ways to develop key insights into organizations’ and systems’ improvement potential.

 

As a Postdoctoral fellow at the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions and a member of the Food Rescue MAINE Initiative, I bring my expertise and approach to identify the challenges and opportunities that face Maine’s charitable food sector to maximize its food rescue and distribution capacity. Furthermore, my research aims to highlight best practices found in Maine, but also in other American states, Canada, and Europe and point toward policy improvements for food waste mitigation and food security.