Hometown:  I grew up in the Northwest of France but have made Burlington my home.

Educational Background:  MS in Community Development and Applied Economics from the University of Vermont and bachelor’s degree in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Rennes 1 in France

What Food Systems program track are you on?  PhD

How did you learn about the Food Systems program and what made you interested in applying?  I have been at UVM for the past five years, first as a masters’ student and since 2013 as a research specialist at the Center for Rural Studies (CRS). I started playing with the idea of applying to a PhD program a couple of years ago but the PhD programs at UVM did not seem to quite match my interests and disciplinary background. I considered applying to programs at other universities but I really enjoy my work at the CRS and learned that a food systems PhD program was in development. I met with Amy Trubek when it became clear that the program was going to be approved and felt that it would be a great fit for me as it would allow me to build on what I have been doing over the past five years.

Tell us more about your educational background and your interests.  While my educational background is clearly in social sciences and focused in economics my bachelors’ and masters’ degrees were fairly transdisciplinary. I was first exposed to food systems research during my masters’ program and my thesis focused on economic aspects of diversified farms in Vermont. I also took a number of food systems classes and really enjoyed it. Overall my main interest is in the production side of agriculture. It seems to me that there are many conversations around the environmental and economic piece of agriculture but less so on the social piece and that is what I am most interested in. I am also interested in the health impact of food production whether it is on the farmers and farm workers or on the consumers but that interest will have to wait until after the PhD.

How has your educational background and experience prepared you for studying food systems?  As I mentioned, my educational background has been fairly transdisciplinary though heavily focused in social sciences. My practical experience includes helping out on my grandparents’ farm, working as a farmhand for a season, conducting food systems research at CRS, and gardening. However, I feel that there is so much that I still do not know about food production. On the consumption side of studying food systems, my qualification is related to eating about three times a day and growing up in the country of stinky cheeses.

What are your future career goals?  In an ideal world I would get a job as a tenure track assistant professor at an institution that embraces transdisciplinary scholars. But I am aware that not everything always works out the way we want it, either for the tenure track job part or the transdisciplinary part. I would be very happy to be able to continue doing food systems research in one capacity or another.

Have you learned anything in particular, since entering the program that has surprised you?  Hard to say, I feel that I learn something new everyday and the more I learn, the less I know.

Tell us about your current research work.  While I still need to work out many of the details, I will look at social safety nets for farm households in France and in the US. Specifically, my main research objective is to assess the extent to which access to a social safety net can support farm viability, quality of life, and social resilience. France is an interesting case study because farm households have access to a comprehensive and universal social safety net, which is not based on employment. However, some of the social and economic issues in agriculture are similar to the issues here in the US. I am really excited to be able to do research in the US and France, it has been a while since I have lived in France and it feels like my dissertation project will enable me to reconnect with some of my roots. 

Please leave us with a fun fact about yourself.  I do not know if it is a fun fact or nerdy fact but as a high schooler and early college student I earned my pocket money playing the organ for weddings and funerals.