معرفی
Olivia Aguilar is Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Leslie and Sarah Miller Director of the Miller Worley Center for the Environment at Mount Holyoke College. She is affiliated with the Department of Environmental Studies, the Miller Worley Center for the Environment, and the Sustainability Steering Committee.
Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from Cornell University and B.S. and M.S. degrees in Horticulture Science from Texas A&M University.
Her research centers on environmental education, transformative learning, and equity, with a focus on how learning communities can become more inclusive of racially and culturally marginalized groups. She investigates the intersections of race, community, and environmentalism, particularly through oral histories of Latinx outdoor experiences and initiatives in food justice. Her work emphasizes sustainability, justice, and inclusive pedagogy in higher education.
Her recent publications explore community environmental literacy, critical food studies curricula, and climate crisis preparedness during global pandemics. These works reflect a strong trend toward community-based, justice-oriented environmental scholarship that bridges research, policy, and public engagement.
Scientific Awards:
- AASHE Fellows Award from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
- Invited Contributor to Special Issue of Diálogo on Latinx Outdoor Experience (2023)
- Speaker, Daffodil Lecture on Sustainability and the Environment, Commonwealth Honors College, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2021)
Olivia Aguilar has served as Chair of the North American Association for Environmental Education’s (NAAEE) Research Symposium and has been an active advisor and panelist on food justice and community gardening. She has collaborated with institutions like UMass Amherst on leadership and equity initiatives. Her leadership roles include directing sustainability programs and convening national symposia, particularly in virtual formats, expanding access and inclusivity.
She leads the Miller Worley Center for the Environment, which supports interdisciplinary environmental research, student fellowships, and community engagement. The center fosters collaborations across campus and with external partners, promoting sustainability and climate justice through education and activism.
