Maria Elisa Christie

Dr. Maria Elisa Christie is Director of Partnership Development at Virginia Tech's Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED), part of the university's Outreach and International Affairs division. With over 25 years of experience in international development, she collaborates with global agencies, NGOs, and governments across the United States, Mexico, and developing nations. She specializes in launching collaborative international projects that bridge academic research with practical development initiatives.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Geography, University of Texas at Austin (2003)
• M.A. in Spanish and Women’s Studies, University of Oregon (1994)
• B.A. in International Studies, History, and Romance Languages, University of Oregon (1983)

Research Focus: Dr. Christie's interdisciplinary work examines the intersection of gender dynamics with agricultural systems and socioecological relationships. Her pioneering research explores women's roles in food systems through frameworks like feminist political ecology and cultural geography, with emphasis on everyday practices in kitchens, gardens, and community networks across global contexts.

Publications: She authored the book Kitchenspace: Women, Fiestas, and Everyday Life in Central Mexico and has extensively published in peer-reviewed journals on gender-development nexus topics. Her scholarship consistently addresses participatory methodologies and gendered dimensions of agriculture across diverse cultural settings.

Global Engagement: Dr. Christie has conducted fieldwork or facilitated capacity-building workshops in over 20 countries spanning Africa (Mali, Senegal, Ethiopia), Asia (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal), Latin America (Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua), and the Caribbean, adapting approaches to French-, Spanish-, and English-speaking contexts.