Dr Gülbanu Kaptan

Profile

I joined Leeds University Business School in 2014 and served as the Interim Head of the Decision Research Group in 2020. As Academic Lead for the LUBS Workload Allocation Management System (WAMS) (2021–23), I led the development and implementation of a single, faculty-wide framework and harmonised processes for workload allocation, management, monitoring, and reporting.

My research interests focus on judgement and decision making, with a particular interest in risk perception, risk communication, and behaviour change. My transdisciplinary research addresses societal challenges related to food system sustainability, resilience, and food security. I integrate knowledge and methods from behavioural science, environmental science, and biotechnology through collaboration with academic and non-academic stakeholders. I apply behavioural science theories and intervention methods to understand and support decision making and behaviour change across the food system, with particular emphasis on reducing food waste, improving food safety behaviours, and supporting the successful implementation of novel food technologies.

I served as an expert member of the European Commission’s Consumer Food Waste Forum (2021-2024). I am currently a member of the UKRI ESRC Peer Review and Assessor Colleges and the Slovenian Research Agency Scientific Board’s external expert panel

I have secured significant funding through competitive UK and international funding schemes, including the UKRI ESRC, BBSRC, Swiss National Science Foundation, and EU-FP7.

External Funding (last 5 years):

--Project Partner for research on Cultivating common societal grounds for innovation in plant breeding. Swiss National Science Foundation National Research Programme on Plant breeding innovation (2025-2028)

--Co-I for the project on Healthy soil, Healthy food, Healthy people (H3) (2023-2026). UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund

--PI for research on Understanding social and psychological drivers of food hygiene behaviours in households to develop behaviour change interventions (Nov/23 - March/25). Quadram Institute Food Safety Research Network

--Co-I for the project on Reuse to reduce food waste: understand policy barriers preventing food upcycling. In partnership with Leeds City Council. (Nov/22 – July/23). Research England Policy Support Fund.

--PI for the project on Using citizen science to explore plant breeding and investigate food-chain transparency for novel breeding methods. (2022). UKRI-FSA joint grant https://bit.ly/bbsrc-fsa-citizenscience

--University consultant for the Food Standards Agency’s Kitchen Life-2 project (2021-2023)

--PI for the project on Capitalising on COVID-19 as a Trigger for Positive Change in Food Waste Behaviour (2020-2022). UKRI/ESRC Grant https://bit.ly/foodwastebehaviour

Responsibilities

• Global Food and Environment Institute (GFEI) Executive Group Member
• University of Leeds Climate Plan Research Partnership Committee Member
• Faculty Research Impact and Engagement Panel Member

Research interests

• Behavioural decision research, with a special interest in risk perception and communication and behaviour change applied to the following areas:
  • Food waste prevention and reduction
  • Consumer acceptance of novel foods and technologies, including alternative proteins and precision breeding
  • Improving the resilience of supply chains towards disruptions
  • Improving food safety behaviours at households

*I welcome contact from prospective PhD candidates interested in any of the above research topics.

Current Postgraduate Researchers:

Chenyi Zhu; Can Cheng; Chuyao Kuang; Delina Fitzsimmons

Qualifications

• PhD Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, Bilkent University (Turkey)
• MBA, Baskent University (Turkey)
• MSc and BSc Food Engineering, Middle East Technical University (Turkey)

Professional memberships

• Member of the Society for Risk Analysis
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Student education

I am the Winner of LUBS 2017-18 Partnership awards in the category of Best Feedback - the person who provides invaluable and supportive academic feedback, in both content and delivery method, which helps others to develop and excel in their work. I’m also a nominee for the 2018 and 2019 Partnership Awards in the categories of Positive Impact, Inspirational teaching, and Best Feedback

Postgraduate Teaching (current): 
LUBS5253 Advanced Management Decision Making (Module Leader) 

Postgraduate and Undergraduate Teaching (previous): LUBS55582 Research Methods (Module Leader) 2015-2017; LUBS5202 Risk Perception and Communication (Tutor) 2015-2019; LUBS1785 Introduction to Effective Decision Making (Module Leader) 2014-2019; LUBS 2765 Advanced Management Decision Making (Module Leader) 2014-2019; LUBS3885 Management Decision Making (Lecturer and Tutor) 2014-2018

Current postgraduate researchers

• Chenyi Zhu
• Can Cheng
• Chuyao Kuang
• Delina Fitzsimmons