Today, the Technical University of Moldova hosted a momentous event: the public defense of Dr. Rodica Siminiuc’s habilitation thesis, titled “Exploratory Analysis of Nutritional Security in the Republic of Moldova.” Her outstanding performance earned her an “EXCELLENT” rating, highlighting her invaluable contribution to understanding and addressing one of the country’s most pressing challenges: food security.
Under the guidance of Dr. Rodica Sturza, a distinguished professor and corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Dr. Siminiuc’s thesis presents an innovative and comprehensive approach to food security. It focuses on several essential objectives, including a retrospective analysis of nutritional security in Moldova, the creation of a national Healthy Food Basket, the assessment of the economic accessibility of these food baskets, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle through nutritional education.
A unique aspect of her thesis is the development of the Health Nutrition Assistant (HN Assistant) application and nutritional assessment software for nutrition students. These tools facilitate informed and conscious dietary decisions, with significant potential to improve consumers’ quality of life.
Dr. Siminiuc’s results have a substantial impact, contributing to the resolution of food security issues in Moldova. The value of her research is evidenced by her participation in 26 international scientific conferences, the publication of 38 scientific papers in prestigious journals indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, and the acquisition of 10 patents.
The public defense committee included renowned researchers from both Moldova and abroad: Dr. Aliona GHENDOV-MOȘANU, UTM (committee chair); Dr. Olga DESEATNICOV, UTM (scientific secretary); Dr. Rodica STURZA, UTM, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (scientific consultant), along with official reviewers: Dr. Alexandru STRATAN, ASEM, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova; Dr. Tatiana RABA, USMF; Dr. Ninel REVENCO, USMF; and Dr. Petre SĂVESCU, University of Craiova, Romania.
The thesis was developed within the Department of Food and Nutrition at the UTM Faculty of Food Technology, through a postdoctoral grant: No. 21.00208.5107.06, titled “Contributions to the Nutritional Eradication of Diseases Associated with Gluten Consumption.”
The Technical University of Moldova warmly congratulates Dr. Rodica SIMINIUC for her notable performance and significant contribution to the field of food security. We also extend our gratitude to Dr. Rodica STURZA for her exceptional guidance and professionalism.
Dr. Siminiuc’s successful defense of her habilitation thesis marks a remarkable achievement for UTM, demonstrating the institution’s research potential and academic excellence.
