Water and Food Security PIRE

Kristen Kirksey

Name: Kristen Kirksey

Title/Department: Graduate Student, Sociology

Phone number: 205-454-8928

Email: kristen.kirksey@uconn.edu

Website: n/a

Research focus: social determinants of health, gender

• What excites you most about your PIRE research? The most exciting component of the PIRE project is that it’s collaborative and interdisciplinary. I look forward to working with colleagues here in Connecticut, as well as in Ethiopia and globally, to approach the issue of water insecurity. We have varying fields of expertise and interest, and everyone will bring invaluable expertise to the table. As part of the Sociology team, I also look forward to working collaboratively with families and communities in rural Ethiopia.
•  What’s the most valuable aspect of your research for the people and communities?  The most valuable aspect of the research is that it addresses barriers facing communities as they adapt to water and food security in a changing climate and growing world population. This research will increase overall knowledge in communities, and ideally what we learn will be applicable not only in Ethiopia, but here in the United States, and in other countries around the world.