Kristin is a nature-society geographer who is interested in how environmental governance and infrastructure influence relations between environment and society. She primarily looks at these relationships as they emerge through water management and energy production and consumption, as well as from the nexus between these spheres. As a political ecologist, she is interested in examining the structures of power that influence these relationships with the intent of finding more equitable, sustainable, and just alternatives to environmental management practices.
Prior to beginning her graduate studies at Penn State, Kristin worked for Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust, Inc. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) on integrated watershed management and stormwater pollution prevention projects. This work inspired her interest in systems of governance and infrastructure. She is excited to begin studying energy transitions in Pennsylvania while incorporating her knowledge of stormwater management into this research.