Dr. Bendegul Okumus has an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Home Economics, Master’s and PhD degrees in Food Hygiene  and Technology, and a second Master’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. She worked for the Florida Department of Health in Orange County WIC program, which is a federally funded nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children. She also has work experience in the hospitality industry, particularly in food preparation, food services, and event management areas.

Her primary teaching areas include Nutrition Concepts and Issues in Food Services, International Cuisine and Culture, Sanitation in the Food Service Industry and Health and Wellness in Hospitality and Tourism. Her research focuses on food safety, eating behavior and eating habits, food and culinary tourism, food waste and health & wellness in hospitality and tourism.

Dr. Okumus has worked in multidisciplinary research teams, secured and completed research grants. She has authored/co-authored numerous academic journal articles, conference presentations, book and book chapters. List of her recent publications and citations can be seen at GoogleScholar.

Dr. Okumus has coauthored a book titled, Wellness Management in Hospitality and Tourism, with Heather Linton Kelly, the Director of Research and Sustainability for the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). The book project started in 2018, before the pandemic. The topic was considered timely for the future hospitality and tourism industry. The ebook version of the publication is available through this link.