Jennifer Zavaleta Cheek

Jennifer Zavaleta Cheek is an Assistant Professor in the Natural Resource Management Department at South Dakota State University. Her research focuses on sustainable development, conservation planning, and human dimensions of biodiversity conservation, with a particular emphasis on community forestry management and food systems.
Education: Ph.D. (University of Michigan), M.S. (Texas Tech University), B.A. (Claremont McKenna College).

Teaching responsibilities include courses such as Introduction to Conservation Planning, Park Interpretation, and Human Dimensions in Natural Resource Management. She emphasizes communication skills and conflict resolution in her curricula, preparing students to address socio-ecological challenges.

Research interests span global contexts, including Bhutan, India, Madagascar, and Chile. Her work integrates quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze complex systems like wild food consumption patterns, capacity development in conservation, and forest-poverty linkages. Recent studies highlight contributions of wild foods to dietary diversity and gender empowerment.

Her work emphasizes adaptive co-management strategies and cross-sector collaboration. She is affiliated with the McFadden Biostress Laboratory, where she explores interdisciplinary solutions to natural resource challenges.