Laura Lewis

Dr. Laura Lewis is Director of the WSU Food Systems Program and associate professor of Community and Economic Development in the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.  She has her Ph.D. in biogeography with expertise in centers of origin for agrobiodiversity.  Her current work is focused on supporting regional niche value-chain development for grains, meat, and winter vegetables through diversification of cropping systems and markets.  Prior to coming to WSU, she was assistant professor of biogeography at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and her research focused on crop evolution in Africa and food access in the city of Baltimore.  She is most interested in how agrobiodiversity is utilized on farm and within communities to support resilient agroecosystems.