I am a Ph.D. Candidate in the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University, interested in the politics of renewable energy, climate change, just transitions, and rural livelihoods. I am currently finalizing my doctoral research, which examines the drivers of renewable energy development in Senegal, and the implications of utility-scale projects for rural communities. My work draws primarily from scholarship in political ecology, critical development studies, critical agrarian studies, and energy geographies.
Prior to and during my PhD, I was a Senior Research Analyst at the International Food Policy Research Institute (2012 – 2021), conducting research to better understand the relationships between food and nutrition, agriculture, and rural livelihoods, primarily in West Africa and South Asia.
I hold an MSc. in Anthropology and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and a B.A. in Anthropology and Latin American & Caribbean Studies from Union College, NY.
If I had a second/parallel life, I would be a marine biologist, so I also have a keen interest in the climate change effects on and social lives of marine wildlife. When not in the office, I’m an enthusiastic (though beginner) white water kayaker, cyclist, and hiker. I am currently based in Washington, D.C.
Mara G. van den Bold 