Erin Upton, Ph.D.

I love to dig deep into the exploration and storytelling of relationships between people and place. 

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I am passionate about understanding the rich human dimensions of complex environmental challenges. I am committed to applied interdisciplinary approaches, the co-production of knowledge, and elevating diverse community voices.

As a consultant with Dialogues in Action, I lead research and evaluation projects. In this work, I use methods of qualitative inquiry to help organization and agency partners deepen capacity and better understand the impacts of their efforts. My research interests include larger themes about resilience, transformation, community, and connection.

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I have a Ph.D. from Portland State University's School of the Environment and Department of Environmental Science & Management in Portland, Oregon. My research examines water and climate change resilience in agricultural wine regions. I have conducted environmental and social science research in North America, South Africa, and Australia, and presented my work in Australia, the U.S., Canada, and Brazil. 

My research explores climate change resiliency, social-ecological systems dynamics,

decision-making about water and land, and sustainable futures in working landscapes.

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.