I have work and research experience in the fields of sustainable agriculture and environmental science, print and online journalism, and graphic communication.

What I do for money: I currently spend a lot of time working for the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis, doing communications and outreach on a project called the the California Nitrogen Assessment. I also work on online and social media for the High Country News and do freelance agricultural writing, mostly for Grist and the High Country News, and recently for Oakland Local.

Where I live: I’ve lived in Oakland, CA, for a little over a year. Before moving to Oakland I lived in rural Montezuma County, Colorado, on the edge of the Colorado Plateau. I have lived in many parts of the United States and been to every state except Maine. Colorado is my favorite state, but I sure love Oakland.

What I do for fun: I play a lot of soccer. I love backpacking in the mountains. I cook and can, mostly with local ingredients. I get the New York Times dead trees edition on the weekends and I have a New Yorker addiction. I have a mild obsession with the following things: plant name etymology, political ecology, infographics, independent music, and learning to cook and eat acorns.

Where I learned: In 2007 I received my Master’s degree in environmental science from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. My Master’s research concentrated on organic and alternative agriculture in the United States, focusing on how small- and medium-scale ecological (mostly organic) farms, fit into larger political economy frameworks, and how they managed their farms economically and agroecologically. I remain fascinated by and integrated into the alternative agriculture movement, both personally and professionally. I also have research interests and experience in the realms of environmental education and environmental justice.

I graduated from the University of South Carolina Honors College in 2002. I majored in interdisciplinary studies and focused on environmental politics, communications studies, and graphic communication.

contact me: stephanieogburn[at]gmail[dot]com