Our Research

As a global expert on demographics, sociology and development, Parfait Eloundou-Enyegue advises the United Nations and national governments on the relationship between demographics, inequality and development. He is the co-founder of PICHNET, which seeks to transform Africa's largest generation through youth capacity development, research and policy communication in Cameroon. 

Rachel Bezner Kerr's collaborative research program advocates for localized food justice in New York and around the world. She has united communities across Malawi and Tanzania, culminating to a 10,000 member nonprofit, numerous farmer-led training programs and internationally acclaimed expertise in agroecology. 

As an environmental sociologist and professor of global development, Jack Zinda analyzes global challenges surrounding relationships between human groups and environments. Zinda makes in-depth explorations of locales across the globe, from rural communities in China to metropolitan areas straddling the Hudson River in New York State. 

As an expert in international agriculture and rural development, KV Raman has facilitated over a dozen international collaborative projects, fostered numerous public-private partnerships and led engaged learning opportunities for 1,000+ undergraduate and professional students at both Cornell and other international universities. 

As a political ecologist, Jenny Goldstein studies the intersection of power dynamics, the environment, and the meaning of place and space. Her research has taken her across Southeast Asia, Africa and the United States to study the role that environmental conservation and development play in terms of governance, data, human health and ecological change. 

Louise Erskine MPS ’21 utilizes photography to tell the stories of rural and agricultural communities across Canada, the United States and Mexico. Behind the lens and on the global stage, Louise advocates for the need to build solidarity within and across communities. 

Inspired by his personal experience as a Black student in the Ivy League, Ben analyzed how racism, micro-aggressions and human behavior contribute to the academic career of Black students. His research is not only an important contribution to academia, but also offers a new perspective on how a sense of belonging and engagement play a critical role in diversity and inclusion on college campuses.

The intersection between agriculture and technology drove Elena to explore innovative ways to take her passion for issues of gender and income inequality and transform her ideas into reality. “Conducting global research means overcoming language barriers, practicing how to ask thoughtful questions, and presenting and consolidating findings from the field,” Elena said.

With a goal to better understand how climate change impacts farmers and agriculture, Keelin travelled to Armenia to speak directly with farmers, hear their experiences and concerns, and find ways to involve them in climate change decision-making. “Making connections with people, sharing resources and knowledge and working together towards a better solution is truly irreplaceable,” Keelin shared.