Biography:

Dr. Smit is a lecturer and researcher with more than a decade of experience in nutrition education and research. She holds a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from Stellenbosch University. Her research focuses on food provisioning environments in early childhood development centres and strategies to support enabling food environments in these settings. She has been an international member of the National Nutrition Network – Early Childhood Education and Care (NNN-ECEC), fostering collaboration between South Africa and Australia. Her work bridges academia and practice through engagement with NGOs and healthcare professionals to improve nutrition, food services, and early childhood care across diverse settings.