Congratulations Dr. Alexander Morgenthaler!

• Post by: Anastasia Soukhov
• 12:07PM Dec 17, 2025
• No Comment

The HEAL would like to congratulate Dr. Alexander Morgenthaler who successfully defended his PhD thesis under the supervision of Dr. Jason Gilliland this month (December 2025).

Alexander Morgenthaler successfully defended his PhD thesis titled: Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Hospitality Businesses and Consumer Behaviour: A Multi-Method Examination of Southwestern Ontario. Alexander completed his Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Geography and Environment under the supervision of Dr. Jason Gilliland. In his research as part of the FRESHER Project, Alexander examined the impact of COVID-19 on the food hospitality sector in Southwestern Ontario. To achieve this Alexander used a mix of GIS mapping, surveys, and interviews.

The first part of the study examined how restaurants and similar businesses in Southwestern Ontario managed to stay open. Businesses that set up outdoor patios, offered curbside pick-up, or used drive-thru services were more likely to survive. In contrast, those that relied heavily on third-party delivery services were more likely to close, especially in cities.

The second part of the study focuses on how people’s food shopping habits changed during the pandemic. A survey of over 1,500 residents in the London Ontario area found that many adopted physically distanced ways of buying food, such as curbside pick-up or online ordering. These changes were most common among younger and higher-income people, and many of these habits likely continued even after restrictions eased.

The final part of the study looks at the experiences of 27 people who worked in roles connected to the food sector but who were outside of direct business ownership, such as policymakers, community organizers, and urban planners. Their experiences showed that while there was creativity and adaptability, there were also major barriers, including financial strain, uneven policy impacts, and gaps in coordination between different actors.

Overall, this research helps explain how both businesses and consumers adapted during a major crisis. It also highlights the need for flexible, locally tailored strategies that can help food businesses and communities better prepare for future disruptions.