Areas of expertise:
Education
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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 the intersection of food, energy, and water with a particular focus on environmental justice. Her scholarship has been supported by the Sloan Foundation, National Science Foundation (Grant no. 2120722), Native American Agriculture Fund, National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the USDA (2012-01320), Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education at the USDA (GW11-001), and more. Trained as an interdisciplinary agroecologist, Dr. Hilimire has conducted research and published in both the natural and social sciences of food systems. She has a PhD in Environmental Studies from University of California at Santa Cruz.
Her recent teaching and research follows two paths. One investigates the landscape of energy transitions, exploring environmental justice and agrivoltaics, mining of critical minerals, and more. The second is focused on water conservation in agriculture. During a research sabbatical in 2023, she studied dry farming and visited farms in the Four Corners, California, and Spain.
Dr. Hilimire has worked with FLC collaborators Beth LaShell, Keri Brandt-Off, Rebecca Clausen, Deanne Grant, and Elicia Whittlesey to receive several rounds of funding from the Native American Agriculture Fund. These awards have directly supported students aspiring to futures in food systems, and the grants have also provided support to innovate new learning practices and spaces at Fort Lewis College and the Old Fort at Hesperus.
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.
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]