Aoife Kate Pitts

UGA Arch

My work is situated within environmental anthropology and political ecology. I analyze the implementation and impact of biodiversity-focused conservation policies in the Colombian Amazon. My research integrates social-ecological systems theory, ethnoecology, and multi-species ethnography to work towards conservation policies that recognize and protect entanglements of biodiversity, natural resource dependent livelihoods, and cultural practices.

My interest in political ecology and community-led conservation arose from ethnographic fieldwork in Belize in 2018 that explored the motivating factors of conch piracy. Other research projects have included analysis of the connections between land-use change and food insecurity in Laos, and spatial analysis of narco-trafficking through Central America.  

Research Areas:
Selected Publications:

Pitts, A.K. Trost, B, Trost, N, Hand, B & Margulies, J. (2022, 5 16). Learning with the seed
bomb: on a classroom encounter with abolition ecology. Journal of Political Ecology 29(1):302–308. doi:10.2458/jpe.4715  

LaFevor, M.C.; Pitts, A.K. Irrigation Increases Crop Species Diversity in Low-Diversity Farm Regions of Mexico. Agriculture 2022, 12, 911. https://doi.org/10.3390/ agriculture12070911 

Grants:

TOTAL: $166,400      

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) ($159,000) (2024-2029)

Robert Rhoades Pre-Dissertation Travel Award ($2,250)  Spring 2024                                                             

Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, Graduate Research Award ($1000)  Spring 2024                                 

Center for Integrative Conservation Research Travel Award ($400)  Spring 2024                                              

University of Georgia Graduate School NSF Incentive Award ($250)  Spring 2024                                              

University of Georgia, Department of Anthropology Travel Award ($300)   Fall 2023                                        

Center for Integrative Conservation Research Conference Support ($400) Fall 2023                                         

Center for Integrative Conservation Research Travel Award ($300)  Summer 2023                                            

Robert Rhoades Pre-dissertation Travel Award ($2,000) Summer 2023                                                            

University of Alabama, New College Conference Travel Support ($500) Spring 2020                                                     

Education:

B.A. Anthropology, University of Alabama 

B.S. Conservation Ecology, University of Alabama