I am a Ph.D. candidate at UC Berkeley in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management in both Dr. Claire Kremen’s and Dr. Timothy Bowles’s labs. Having deep family roots in agriculture, I am compelled to understand the socio-ecological linkages of diversified farming systems. My research builds on the knowledge produced in ecology, soil microbiology, pollination biology, and sociology of agriculture.
For my dissertation, I am working with small-scale farmers embedded in the monoculture landscape of California’s Central Valley. My research explores how on-farm diversification practices impact soil health and link to other ecological processes (i.e. pollination) on agroecosystems. Specifically, I am looking at how on-farm diversification (i.e. crop diversity over space and time) influence arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), pollination, and their interactions. Throughout my research, I aim to integrate social and ecological research approaches to support farmers, rural livelihoods, and ecological resilience.