Erin Upton, Ph.D.
Environmental Social Scientist
Research & Facilitation Consultant
Landscape Architect

About Me
The purpose of my work is to help create and sustain communities of care and systems of support as we encounter complex environmental challenges. I want to contribute to a world where we not only survive but also thrive.
I am committed to applied interdisciplinary approaches, the co-production of knowledge, and elevating diverse community voices. I am passionate about deepening our understanding of the relationships between people and place.
As a research consultant, I use methods of qualitative inquiry to help organizations and agency partners deepen their capacity, advance their missions, and inform policy and program decision-making. My research interests include larger themes about resilience, transformation, community, and connection. In my work, I explore climate change resiliency, social-ecological systems dynamics,
decision-making about water and land, and sustainable futures in working landscapes.
I have a Ph.D. from Portland State University's School of the Environment and the Department of Environmental Science & Management in Portland, Oregon. My doctoral research examined water and climate change resilience in agricultural wine regions. I have conducted environmental social science research in North America, South Africa, and Australia, and presented my work in Australia, the U.S., Canada, and Brazil.
I have a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of British Columbia and have worked as a landscape architect in New York City, as well as in management in the wine industry in Oregon. I am a Fellow of the National Science Foundation Integrative Graduate Education and Research Trainee (IGERT) program, and a Fellow of the Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF) for International Research.
Professional
Current endeavors:
Research & Facilitation Consultant
Erin Upton Consulting
Research Scholar
Associate Consultant, Research & Evaluation
Portland, Oregon
Past endeavors:
Social Scientist, Researcher, Writer, Winery Sales & Operations Manager, Landscape Architect, Nonprofit Arts Administrator
Service
Parks and Nature Bond Oversight Committee Member
Metro Regional Government, Oregon
Vice President of the Board
Ecoseva Institute
Technical Advisory Committee Member
Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District, Oregon
Education
Ph.D. Earth, Environment, & Society
Portland State University, Oregon
Master of Landscape Architecture
University of British Columbia
Bachelor of Arts, International Studies & French
University of Oregon
International educational exchanges:
University of Lyon, France
Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Fellowships
National Science Foundation (NSF) Integrated Graduate Education Research Trainee (IGERT) Fellow
Portland State University
Ecosystem Services for Urbanizing Regions
Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF) Fellow & Sylff Research Abroad Grant Recipient
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