Jessica A. Breitfeller

Political Ecologist | Environmental Anthropologist

I am a Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology at the University of Maryland, specializing in the politics of conservation and sustainable development in Central America. My doctoral research explores the political ecology of climate governance and forest conservation in Costa Rica. In particular, I am interested in indigenous consultation processes and the right to free, prior informed consent.

My broader research interests include applied/activist anthropology, environmental/climate (in)justice, and human rights. I have expertise in ethnographic methods, policy analysis, grant writing, and project management. Beyond my research, I am a proponent of critical pedagogy and student-centered learning. More about my teaching philosophy and the courses I have taught can be found here.