Wesley Zebrowski, PhD
Assistant Professor
Zebrowski works to strongly connect environmental outcomes to agricultural policies which shape much of the rural US. Land held in agriculture has great potential to reduce both its air and water pollution, as well as contribute to global climate change goals. Economic incentives largely define current production, and by understanding and influencing these incentives, Zebrowski believes that we can better support both the environment and rural farming economies. Furthermore, these incentives are also shaped by historical and modern disparities for farmers who are not white, non-Hispanic, cishet men. Zebrowski joined SES’s faculty in 2024 but has always believed that the Chicago Dog is the best style of hot dog.
Education
- PhD, Public Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, 2024
- BA, Environmental Policy & Government, Colby College, 2018
Research Interests
Zebrowski’s research broadly investigates the economic, social, and environmental consequences of agricultural policy. Their research specifically focuses on agricultural land conservation through the Conservation Reserve Program and equity in the structure and administration of agricultural programs. Rather uniquely, Zebrowski gives attention to Farm Service Agency county committees which handle local-level implementation of agricultural programs. Zebrowski also has great interest in farmer networks and food transportation supply chains.
Specialty Area
Agricultural policy, land conservation, farmer decision-making, equity, social network analysis, agricultural transportation, local governance, representative bureaucracy
Publications/Research Listings
- Zebrowski, W. and Reynolds, T. (2023). Consumed from within? Social and Ecological Drivers of Internal Clearings in Ethiopian Orthodox Church Forests. Land Degradation & Development, 35(1): 334-349. http://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.4919
- Zebrowski, W., Farmer, J., Bruce, A., Giroux, S., Dickinson, S., Chen, X., O’Donnell, M., and Benjamin, T. (2023). Use of Narratives to Communicate Organics with Commodity Grain Farmers. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 38(e39): 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S174217052300025X
- Otieno, G., Zebrowski, W., Recha, J. and Reynolds, T. (2021). Gender and Social Seed Networks for Climate Change Adaptation: Evidence from Bean, Finger Millet, and Sorghum Seeds Systems in East Africa. Sustainability, 13(4): 2074. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042074