​​Academic CV
Email

Jon Eldon

​I am an agricultural scientist with a background in ecology and epistemology that I combine with years of hands-on experience in agriculture and natural resource management.

​My research focuses on understanding how farming systems work and how they can be managed to work better, which requires integrating ecology with agronomy, economics, sociology, politics, and a range of other topics. 

​My aim is to inform better decision making by farmers, managers, scientists, and policy makers.

Geographic focus:
United States, West Africa, Pacific Islands

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Educational Background

Ph.D.     Environmental Studies, U California – Santa Cruz, 2014-2017
                           Focal Areas: agroecology, soil science, rural development  
M.A.       Environmental Studies, University of California – Santa Cruz, 2011-2014
M.S.        Tropical Conservation Biology and Environment Science, U Hawaii – Hilo, 2007-2010
                           Focal Areas: evolutionary ecology, biogeography, genetics
B.S.         Biology, Stanford University, 2001-2005
B.A.         Philosophy, Stanford University, 2001-2005

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Work Background

Technical lead
        Concern Universal, Senegal and The Gambia, 2013-2016
Instructor/teaching assistant 
        UC Santa Cruz 2011-2013, 
                Soils and Plant Nutrition (laboratory instructor and lecture assistant)
                Sustainable Agriculture (discussion section leader and lecture assistant)
                Agroecosystems and Watershed Management (lecture assistant)
         UH Hilo 2007-2010
                Field Ecology Methods (laboratory instructor and lecture assistant)
Researcher
        UH Hilo, Price lab (Ecological genetics), 2007-2010
        UC Santa Cruz, Cheng lab (Soil science) and Shennan lab (Agroecology), 2011-2017
​Farmer, forester, land manager 
        Multiple employers including self-employed, Hawaii, 2005-2010
Journeyman carpenter and concrete finisher
        Multiple employers including self-employed, Alaska/Hawaii, 2005-2011
​Commercial deckhand
        Gillnetter/longliner, Alaska, 2002, 2005
        Private motoryacht, Tahiti, 2004
Wildland firefighter
        Skookum Reforestation, 2003
Field research assistant
        UC Berkeley - Gump Research Station (ethnobotany), Moorea (French Society Islands), 2004
        Stanford University (ecology), West Indies, 2003
        Oregon State University Agricultural Extension (cereal breeding), Oregon, 2001