Dr. Jennie L. Durant received her PhD at University of California, Berkeley in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, and an M.F.A. in Writing from Saint Mary’s College of California. She did a USDA-NIFA postdoctoral fellowship at University of Oregon (in Ponisio Lab) and U.C. Davis (in Galt Lab). She was also a Science and Technology Policy Fellow with the American Association for the Academy of Sciences (2021-2022), posted at the US Department of Agriculture, where she worked on pollinator policy and helped coordinate USDA's Climate Hubs.

 

Jennie's research aims to understand transitions (and barriers) to just and sustainable food systems, as well as the drivers of bee declines and potential solutions to strengthen pollinator health. Her social science methods include in-depth interviews, surveys, and participant observation--as well as analysis of historical documents and agricultural statistics. You can check out her publications on this website or on Google Scholar.

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A California native, Jennie has lived and traveled around the world, hiking 1000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in California and Washington, living in Turkey and Italy, raising bees, and volunteering on an organic farm in the Philippines. In 2007, she was a Fulbright scholar in the Philippine rice terraces to study the socio-ecological consequences of introducing hybrid rice to the region. In 2008, Jennie appeared in Oprah Magazine as one of 80 "Women Rule!" participants for her interest in honey bees. She was also chosen as one of Saint Mary’s College’s 40 most influential female graduates and Nerd Scholar's 40 Under 40 Professors Who Inspire.

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You can contact her at jenniedurant [at] gmail [dot] com or download her CV below.