Giovanni Ballarini

Giovanni Ballarini (John B. Dancer) taught as a professor from 1953 to 2003 at the University of Parma, of which he is now an Emeritus Professor. He has been awarded a Honorary Degree from the University of Athens, a Gold Medal for the worthy exponents of the School, Culture and Art fields from the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Italy and the Ordre du Mérite Agricole from the Republic of France. Both on his own and in collaboration with numerous students of his – many of whom hold university chairs – he has carried out intensive scientific research in a number of different fields, achieving important, original results documented in over 900 publications and numerous books. He has shown interest in history, zoo-anthropology and human diet, with a particular focus on anthropological aspects. In this latter sector, also under the pseudonym John B. Dancer, he has published several books in recent years on food anthropology. He continues to carry out intense informative activity, contributing to national newspapers and taking part in television programmes. He is President of the Italian Academy of Cuisine and the “Franco Marenghi” Study Centre, and won the Scanno Award for Food of the University of Teramo in 2005.