Gwyneth Manser, PhD Candidate, to begin WSU post-doc position in fall

In September 2023 Gwyneth M. Manser will be starting a position as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Washington State University. The position will focus on farmer decision making and environmental impacts of California strawberry production. In particular, the project will examine end-of-life decision making for plastic mulches used in strawberry production, as well as understanding the socio-cultural and structural factors that help, or hinder, the adoption of more sustainable agricultural practices (such as the use of biodegradable plastic mulch).

This research is being conducted as part of a large, multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI). Gwyneth will be part of the Human Dimensions Working group, which is led by rural sociologist Dr. Jessica Goldberger.

Gwyneth M. Manser is currently a fifth year geography Ph.D. candidate. Her current research is focused on regulation and governance at farmers markets. The first chapter of her dissertation, “Systematizing authenticity and codifying values: The role of values, standards, and governance at farmers markets,” was recently published in the Journal of Rural Studies.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0743016722002595