Martha is the co-director of the Agroecology & Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC), a community of practice housed in UVM's Department of Plant and Soil Science. The ALC works to co-create evidence and knowledge with farmers and other actors, to cultivate socially just and ecologically sound food systems. The mix of projects and courses, and commitment to Participatory Action Research (PAR), contribute to Martha’s ever-evolving understanding of agroecology, and allow her to have a hand both in grassroots work and applied research. This cross-fertilization of practical and theoretical approaches keeps Martha thinking about how to make her work both useful and relevant - in multiple ways, and at multiple levels. 

As a PhD student, Martha looks forward to applying the frameworks of agroecological principles, cultural ecosystem services and relational values to explore people's conceptualization of and motivations for pursuing food sovereignty.

Advisor: Rachelle Gould