Bio

Evan is a PhD student at IRES under the supervision of Dr. Hannah Wittman. His research is focused on the trade-offs associated with high levels of specialization within farming systems. In particular, he is interested in exploring how crop diversification and other farm-level agroecological practices can increase farmer control over decision making, allowing farmers to become more sustainable, profitable, and culturally representative. More broadly, he hopes to influence how people think about specialization, and encourage individuals to pursue more diverse areas and types of knowledge, as well as experiences so they may better address complex problems. Evan is from Lawrence, Kansas and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to study his bachelor’s in economics at the University of Cincinnati. After graduating in 2022, he began a masters in Global Political Economy at Stockholm University, writing his masters thesis on changes in crop diversity in Swedish agriculture in response to changes in extreme weather. Throughout his education he has worked in a variety of companies and NGOs including the Exponential Roadmap Initiative where he developed guidance for corporate climate transition planning.