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Meet the PI
Crystèle Leauthaud
Crystèle Leauthaud
Crystele Leauthaud is a Cooperative Extension Specialist at the University of California, division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She is also an Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension at UC Santa Cruz, affiliated to the Center for Agroecology and the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). She works on sustainable food systems, at the intersection between water management and agroecological systems in Mediterranean and semi-arid climates.
She further works with farmers to quantify water usage and build new ways of managing irrigation. An overarching goal of her research and extension activities is to provide science-based guidance to local communities and develop solutions to challenges caused by the climate crisis, using both agroecology and AgTech knowledge-based solutions.
“I am interested in how to take into account irrigation and water management needs as we design the agroecological transition of food systems.”
2022_10_CV_Leauthaud.pdfHer background
Her background
Prior to her appointment at UC ANR, Crystele was a permanent research fellow in agro-hydrology applied to agroecological systems at CIRAD (French agricultural research centre for development), within the lab Joint Research Unit "Water Management, Actors, Territories" (UMR G-EAU) in Montpellier, France. She worked on hydrosystems in North Africa and Southern France. She has also worked in the Sahel region, Kenya, and Mexico.She holds an engineering diploma in agronomy from AgroParisTech, a Master’s degree in ecology from the French National Museum of Natural History and a PhD in hydro-ecosystems from the University of Montpellier, France.
Meet the team
Hana Lamouchi
Postdoctoral ResearcherSuistanable agriculture and agroecology
Hana is a Postdoctoral Researcher at both UMR Eco&Sols (Institut Agro Montpellier, INRAE) and UMR G-EAU. Her research focuses on sustainable agriculture and agroecology. She specializes in farmer-made biofertilizers, particularly Homemade Dry Manure Teas, developed during her Ph.D. studies at Institut Agro Montpellier. She combines agronomic experiments, physicochemical characterization, and semi-structured interviews with North African farmers to co-design improved ferti-irrigation practices and enhance crop resilience. Hana holds an Engineering Degree in Crop Production and a Master’s in Soil Science.
James Curtiss
Junior Research SpecialistSustainable Irrigation Systems
As a Junior Research Specialist focusing on sustainable irrigation systems my work looks into the various tools available for gardeners and farmers to measure soil moisture and determine irrigation amounts and scheduling. I work at the intersection of soil hydrology research, irrigation systems design and installation, and producing educational materials on sustainable irrigation systems with an emphasis on rain water harvesting and its potential for growing food under climatic conditions in Santa Cruz, California.
Louise Auger
Research EngineerSystemic Agronomy and Communication for Development
As a Master's trained Systemic Agronomy expert, I have conducted activities in Morocco, Georgia, and Cambodia specifically related to water management. I am currently working on agroecology in irrigated systems across France and California.Now based in Montpellier, I am studying "Communication for Development", a master's degree based in Malmö University (Sweden), to build the necessary links between researchers, developement professionals and community needs.
Grey Ingersoll
Research AssistantIrrigation, Agroecology, and Political Ecology
Based in University of California Santa Cruz, I assist in developing, adapting and applying irrigation-related tools and technologies to assist Californian small farmers and gardeners more effectively manage water resources. I also investigate the materialities and social relations of irrigation management sensing technology.I focus on how these factors affect and are affected by the management decisions of farm owners and laborers, public and private R&D, and production trends in agriculture more broadly. My career goal is to apply an interdisciplinary agronomic approach to research and extension that supports small-scale, agroecological land management.
Juan Bermudez-Medrano
Undergraduate ResearcherAgroecology and Economics
Based in University of California Santa Cruz, I study how new technologies and agroecological practices can improve water management in diverse farming systems.My work focuses on monitoring irrigation, testing affordable water sensors, and developing strategies that enhance soil and water use efficiency on small farms. Growing up around the farming communities of Salinas, CA, I aim to support sustainable and accessible solutions for farmers.
Mélodie Frimat
Master's studentSystemic Agronomy
Interested in joigning the lab?
Are you passionate about agroecology and water management?
The lab is seeking motivated and talented individuals to join our team.
Send your CV and subjects you are interested in by email!
The lab is seeking motivated and talented individuals to join our team.
Send your CV and subjects you are interested in by email!
Expertise summary
Agroecology, agrarian diagnosis, multiservice irrigation, agroforestry, homemade manure-based teas, irrigation, low-cost open source sensing for water management, comparative agriculture, water budget models, innovation tracking, field experiments, hydrological modelling, soil water budgets, agrohydrology, hydrosystems, soil-water-plant relations, water conservation
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