Mobile-based traceability system for sustainable food supply networks

―― Can you provide a summary of your professional research background?

Kaiyuan Lin: My research interests focus on decentralization, traceability, UX design and sustainability. I work as a researcher and designer, focus on socio-ecological approach of demands and supplies in food networks. Aiming to redesign and reform the conventional system and market. Ultimately, democratize the food system and contribute to the advancement of research in complex system. I believe that Agriculture should be a steady and sophisticated process, with practical applications, to connect the world.

―― How did your research for this paper come about?

Kaiyuan Lin: I have been doing participant observations and conduct many interviews on the site for long time, in order to understand the real problem and fundamental solution. I came out with the real problems, must-do list and limitations, then deduction through trial and error, and designed the system as well as functional flow with the team. This research requires different expertises in engineering. I asked for helps, and eventually we have completed the research!

―― What was the decision process in choosing where to publish?

Kaiyuan Lin: My previous supervisor told me that research shouldn’t conduct for research. Research should build upon your passion and the issue should be solved. One quality and unique publication is better than hundreds of mass production.

I know that some researchers will try to understand the characteristic of the Journal and submit something match. But for me it’s simply the promise to my supervisor and I believe it will have the better visibility to the research communities and industry. Nature Research Journal is the multidisciplinary and leading international journal in the world, and since my topic is about the food, then the only choice is Nature food.

―― How was your experience publishing this paper with Nature food?

Kaiyuan Lin: I really appreciate the Nature food team. It’s my first time being a corresponding author, the rapid reply and kind assistance from Dr. Anne Mullen and Dr. Juliana Gil really help, I hope I didn’t trouble them too much. Also the strict process of the Nature editor team really impresses me, it’s my honor to work with them.

―― What has been the most exciting part about publishing this paper?

Kaiyuan Lin: I am really happy to receive some inquiries about the research from all around the world. “People are reading my research! I am contributing to the world.”

―― What advice do you have for other researchers on maximizing the dissemination of their work?

Kaiyuan Lin: This is really a good question. Even you publish in Nature, if you didn’t promote it, then it will be forgotten very soon. There is too much information surrounding us nowadays, and it’s really difficult to determine which one is valuable. Therefore, the power of media is really important, but then I start to think that we shouldn’t rely on media and over omitted contexts, instead, we should read the full contents, understand, and then judge it.

So far, my answer to this question will be send it to the right target, for example the related research team.

Maybe this question itself can be a good research question.