Bio

Molly Zhang is a PhD student at the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability (IRES) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), under the supervision of Professor Terry Sunderland in UBC Forestry. Her research focuses on the potential of native edible plants, aiming to understand the socio-ecological outcomes of integrating Indigenous food plants and identifying the factors that facilitate or limit their incorporation into food systems.

Molly holds a B.Sc. in Forestry from UBC and an M.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University of Cologne, Germany. Her previous research explored the challenges and opportunities of Indigenous edible plants in the townships of Cape Town, South Africa, from the perspective of smallholder farmers.

She is a recipient of UBC Four Year Fellowship (4YF), President’s Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award, BiPOC Graduate Excellence Award, and the Faculty of Science Graduate Award. In addition to her research, Molly is an active Environmental Scientist working with different levels of government in BC. 

Outside of work, Molly enjoys writing, dancing, and outdoor activities. When she’s not working, you can often find her writing blog posts, dancing salsa rueda, or camping by a river.