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Website(s):
Sisters Together
Chancellor's Commission on the Status of People of Color
#NCLUDE Learning Groups
Reaching One, Reaching All

Teaching

After several years of working within the food industry, Dr. Jones decided to return to school to attain a Ph.D. in food science. 

Since the start of her career with the University of Nebraska in 2001, she has taught introductory foods classes as well as food safety and sanitation.

She says the best part of teaching is watching students develop a genuine interest in food. One of her primary goals is to help people understand and enjoy food from a cultural as well as nutritional perspective.  

Extension

• Sisters Together
  • Dr. Jones developed the program Sisters Together to empower African American women to work towards improving their health. As a result, African American women gained a better understanding, and increased their consumption of, a wide array of fruits and vegetables.
• Food Preservation
  • As a member of the food preservation team, Dr. Jones' online classes along with her bi-monthly food preservation newsletter place focus on helping Nebraskans learn how to safely preserve food.
• Multi-cooker Curriculum 
  • In conjunction with colleagues from the University of Idaho and Nebraska Extension Educators, Dr. Jones created the "Multi-cooker Curriculum" which provides direction on utilizing this versatile kitchen appliance to easily get dinner on the table. 
• International Work
  • Dr. Jones also had the pleasure of traveling to Nigeria to help women develop the skills to process soybeans. Increasing their knowledge of soybean processing enabled these women to provide more protein-based foods to their children.
• Reaching One, Reaching All
  • Through this DEI interest group, Dr. Jones is a part of the team which provides research and professional development resources around complex issues related to diversity, cultural/global competence, equity and inclusion.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

• Chancellor's Commission on the Status of People of Color
  • As a member of the CCSPC, Dr. Jones assists with coordination of the annual "Multicultural Homecoming" where UNL alumni of color are invited to return to campus and celebrate homecoming.
  • In 2022, she played a key part in renaming the Human Sciences Building on East Campus to the "Gwendolyn A. Newkirk Human Sciences Building", making this the first building within the NU system to be named for an African American. 
• #NCLUDE Learning Groups
  • Here, Dr. Jones serves as a meetings leader providing presentations to those interested in growing their cultural competence. This entails commitment to engaging in self-reflection and open dialogue along with co-creating possibilities for collaboration and reflection. 
• Coming Together for Racial Understanding
  • As a CTRU team member, Dr. Jones assists local communities with creating important dialogue-to-change processes that provide meaningful and positive change. 

Areas of Expertise

• Food Preservation
• Food Literacy, including food preparation and food safety
• Health and Wellness, especially among minority populations