Megan M. Gregory
Megan M. Gregory is a graduate student in agroecology and community education at Cornell University. She works with community gardeners to develop ecologically-based practices, such as cover cropping, that support healthy food production and a healthy environment. Given her commitment to building community capacity for environmental stewardship, her work uses a Participatory Action Research approach that engages gardeners in discovering and fostering beneficial ecological processes in their gardens.
In addition to her garden-based research, Megan is also passionate about education and community organizing for more just and sustainable food systems. She was involved in beginning Gardens 4 Humanity, an organization devoted to helping Tompkins County (NY) residents to create and sustain neighborhood gardens to improve nutrition and provide educational and economic opportunities. As a member of the Education Committee of Project Growing Hope, she organizes and facilitates workshops on sustainable gardening techniques. In collaboration with national organizations such as Bread for the World and Ecumenical Advocacy Days, Megan has also worked to engage students, faith communities, and civic groups in policy advocacy to support sustainable agriculture and food systems, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and social and environmental justice.
Before coming to Cornell, Megan studied Biology and Environmental Studies at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN from 2000-2004. From 2004 – 2008, she served as an Agroforestry Volunteer in Peace Corps/El Salvador, where she lived and worked with a rural community in agroforestry and soil conservation, organic vegetable gardening, water and sanitation, and environmental education projects. (She also got pretty good at chasing and catching chickens, but unfortunately has not had much opportunity to practice this important skill since returning to the US.)
An active member of First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca (NY), Megan considers herself a “religious pluralist with Presbyterian roots” and enjoys learning from and with people of many faith traditions. She is eager to work with any and all faith communities interested in caring for people and the Earth and has a special interest in integrating religious environmental education with action (for example, starting church community gardens, restoring native ecosystems on church grounds, engaging in policy advocacy for climate justice, etc.). She is bilingual in English and Spanish and would love to work with congregations that include Spanish speakers.
You can contact Megan by filling out the form below:
[contact-form to=’meganmgregory1@nullgmail.com’ subject=’Contact via the ESA Scientists%26#039; Speakers Bureau’][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Message to Megan’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]
This page profiles one of many scientists on our Scientists’ Speakers Bureau. To see the full list of speakers, navigate here.