Erin Upton, PhD

Erin is a social scientist partnering with AFT's national staff to advance collaborative research with farmers/ranchers, landowners, rural communities, and other partners to understand the social drivers of agricultural resilience better. Erin has a doctorate in Earth, Environment, and Society from Portland State University. Her research focused on understanding the human dimensions of complex environmental challenges, including how water governance and climate change impact decision-making for farmers in agricultural regions. She has extensive experience conducting research in agricultural regions in North America, South Africa, and Australia. Erin has a bachelor's degree in international studies and French from the University of Oregon and a master's degree in landscape architecture from the University of British Columbia. Before joining AFT, Erin worked as a research and evaluation consultant for government agencies and nonprofit organizations, as a landscape architect, and in the wine industry in rural Oregon.