Victoria Derr

Victoria Derr is a Professor in the Department of Applied Environmental Science at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB). Her work focuses on children-environment relationships, participatory planning, and environmental justice. She leads The Engagement Lab, emphasizing community-driven sustainability initiatives. Previously, she coordinated Growing Up Boulder at the University of Colorado, facilitating youth participation in urban design, and co-founded Crane Collaborations for environmental education in New Mexico. Her research explores marginalized communities' environmental experiences, including Indigenous, Latinx, and agricultural populations. She has authored influential books like *Placemaking with Children and Youth* and contributes to global dialogues on child-friendly cities.

Education background and professional trajectory: After teaching in the Peace Corps (1990–1992), Derr pursued advanced studies culminating in her academic career. She integrates art, ecology, and activism through textile practices in the slow fiber movement. Key partnerships include the Carneros Creek Outdoor Classroom and Salinas Center for Arts and Culture projects.

Research emphasizes participatory methodologies, such as photovoice and co-learning, to center marginalized voices in environmental decision-making. Her recent work (2023–2025) addresses climate justice pedagogy, multispecies flourishing, and equity in sustainable campus planning. She critiques conventional planning paradigms through lenses of environmental justice and decolonial praxis.

Current projects include transnational studies of children's environmental experiences and collaborations linking schools, parks, and communities as 'living laboratories' for sustainability. Her work bridges academia with grassroots activism, emphasizing tangible community impacts through education and advocacy.