Kristin began the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Scholars program at Cornell University and was responsible for undergraduate engagement in the Einaudi Center for International Studies. She now provides remote support for Global Cornell. A Cornell alumna, Kristin majored in international agriculture and rural development then worked in agriculture and community development with an NGO in Kenya for six years. Her graduate work focused on community leadership development. Kristin enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family (and 3 dogs).

I am an undergraduate at Cornell pursuing a B.S. in International Agriculture & Rural Development (IARD). My long-term aspiration is to deliver improved agricultural and public health outcomes using agronomy principles, geospatial tools, and community-engaged approaches. My current focus is on circular bionutrient economy opportunities in the Lake Victoria basin (Kenya) to address simultaneous eutrophication in the lake and nutrient deficit in surrounding agriculture, primarily through novel sanitation and fertilizer production methods. My research with Prof. Rebecca Nelson at Cornell and with Prof. Charles Midega at Poverty & Health Integrated Solution (PHIS) and Maseno University in Kisumu, Kenya, strives to advance these opportunities. I was introduced to agriculture at a young age while working for a diversified livestock farm in my hometown, where I gained an appreciation for the scientific method and agricultural research. I am motivated by exhilarating collaboration, the excitement of being on the cutting edge of agricultural research and development, and agriculture’s vast impact on public and environmental health.