I am a Buffalo, NY native studying as a CCAFS master’s student at NUIG. This degree combines my passion for the planet with my love to learn new skills such as GIS and climate modeling, and I am grateful for the opportunity to transition into this new area of study via the master’s program. During my undergraduate experience, I studied English and Spanish Literature, but, after a work experience on an organic farm in Wheeling, W.V., I shifted my area of study to focus more on climate change and food security by taking courses such as Political Ecology.
This summer (2021), I am working on my thesis project that explores the cost-effectiveness of agroecology for climate change adaptation and mitigation. My research is partnered with two researchers at the University of Vermont that also work with CGIAR/CIAT. The objective of my project is to use meta-analysis to assess reported impact and cost-effectiveness of agroecological interventions on climate resilience. I will be reassessing 138 articles that were used to create the Agroecology and Climate Change Rapid Evidence Review: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/113487.
My goals after graduating are to work for a few years with an NGO focusing on either sustainable aquaculture or the implementation of agroecology on smallholder farms. Following this, I hope to endeavor either a more niche research master’s program or a PHD program, as my ultimate goal is to work in the field as a professional for 10+ years before applying to jobs as a lecturer.