Dr. Kathleen Hilimire

Dr. Kathleen Hilimire
Associate Professor of Environment & Sustainability

Expertise

  • Environmental conservation in food systems
  • Alternative agricultural practices
  • Food systems pedagogy
  • Innovative methods for agricultural nutrient management
  • Integrated crop/livestock agriculture

Education

  • Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, 2011
  • M.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, 2009
  • B.A., Pitzer College, 2003

Contact:

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About Dr. Kathleen Hilimire

Dr. Hilimire is an associate professor in the Department of Environment and Sustainability and coordinator of the Regenerative Food Systems certificate. Her research focuses on sustainable food systems, particularly in the western United States. Dr. Hilimire earned her Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2011 where her research focused on integrated crop/livestock systems and was funded by a Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grant from United States Department of Agriculture (GW11-001). In 2012, Dr. Hilimire received a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the United States Department of Agriculture’s (2012-01320) to study innovative practices for food systems curriculum design. She used the results of this research to create Fort Lewis College’s Regenerative Food Systems Certificate, which launched in 2020.

Recently, Dr. Hilimire, along with FLC collaborators Beth LaShell, Keri Brandt-Off, Rebecca Clausen, and Elicia Whittlesey received funding from the Native American Agriculture Fund for a project entitled “Fort Lewis College Educational and Entrepreneurial Support for Native American Farmers and Food Champions.” In addition to supporting students aspiring to futures in food systems, the grant also provides support to innovate new learning practices and spaces at Fort Lewis College and the Old Fort at Hesperus. Trained as an interdisciplinary agroecologist, Dr. Hilimire has conducted research and published in both the natural and social sciences of food systems.


Selected publications and presentations

Hilimire K., Schnitker C. 2020. The real meal deal: assessing student preferences for “real food” at Fort Lewis College. Agriculture and Human Values.

Hilimire K. 2019. Water conservation behaviors among beginning farmers in the western United States. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 74(2):138-144.

Hilimire K. 2016. Theory and practice of an interdisciplinary food systems curriculum. NACTA Journal 60: 227-233.

Hilimire, K., McLaughlin, B.C. 2015. Students’ Suggestions for Food Systems Curricula at a Liberal Arts College. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 39: 845-860.

Hilimire K., Gillon S., McLaughlin B.C., Dowd B.M., Monsen K. 2014. Food for thought: Developing curricula for sustainable food systems education programs. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 38: 722-743.

Hilimire, K., Gliessman, S.R., and Muramoto, J. 2013. Soil fertility and crop growth under poultry/crop integration. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 28(2):173-182.

Hilimire, K. 2012. The grass is greener: Farmers’ experiences with pastured poultry. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 27(3):173-179.

Hilimire, K. 2011. Integrated crop/livestock agriculture in the United States: a review. The Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 35(4):376-393.


In the news

Associate professor of Environment & Sustainability Kathy Hilimire co-authored a study with Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg in the Journal of Soil & Water Conservation examining water conservation practices among beginning farmers in the West. [8/21/19]