Kristal Jones
Curriculum vitae
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology
and Education
The Pennsylvania State University
352 N 3rd St
Lewisburg, PA 17837
1 406 600 2025
klj175@psu.edu
EDUCATION
May 2014
Ph.D., Rural Sociology and International Agriculture and Development, The
(expected)
Pennsylvania State University
Dissertation title: “Mixed-methods analysis of emerging seed markets and
substantive seed economies in West Africa”
Committee: Leland Glenna (chair), Carolyn Sachs, Anouk Patel-Campillo,
Karl Zimmerer, Jill Findeis (Missouri), Melinda Smale (Michigan State)
2011
M.S., Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University
Thesis title: “Ground of change: Assessing the variables of effective participatory
research and development for agricultural innovations”
2005
B.A. with Highest Honors, International Politics,
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
ACADEMIC INTERESTS
International development focused on agriculture and natural resource management; the social
dimensions of agricultural decisions and policies; theories of alternative economies; West
African rural development; applied agricultural research; mixed method research approaches
PUBLICATIONS
Manuscripts in refereed journals
Forthcoming Jones, K., Schnurr, M., Moseley, W. and Carr, E. Reflections on the changing
nature of fieldwork in research. African Geographical Review. (Accepted Sept.
2013)
Book reviews
2013
Jones, K. Book review, ‘Seeds, Science, and Struggle: The Global Politics of
Transgenic Crops’ by Abby Kinchy. Rural Sociology, 78(2), 260-62
2013
Jones, K. Book reviewlet, ‘Power, Change, and Gender Relations in Rural Java: A
Tale of Two Villages’ by Ann R. Tickamyer & Siti Kusujiarti. Contemporary
Sociology, 42(4), 640-41
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Manuscripts in submission
Jones, K. The political ecology of market-oriented seed system development and
emergent alternatives. Geoforum (R&R)
[Draft paper presented at the Dimensions of Political Ecology Conference,
University of Kentucky (Feb. 28-March 2, 2013)]
Jones, K., Glenna, L. and Weltzien, E. Assessing effects of participation in
agricultural development projects. Journal of Rural Studies (Under review)
[Draft paper presented at annual meeting of the Rural Sociological Society,
Chicago, IL (July 26-29, 2012)]
Manuscripts in progress
Jones, K., with J. Lynch and T. Gill. The potential social, economic and
production benefits of low-nitrogen tolerant maize varieties in East Africa. (For
submission to Annual Review of Plant Biology)
Glenna, L., Brandl, B., and K. Jones. Influences on and implications of changing
investment in agricultural research in developed and developing countries. In A.
Bonanno and , Handbook of International Political Economy of Agriculture and
Food. (Book chapter)
Other publications
2013
Jones, K. The Role of Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and
Training in Developing Countries: A Review of Literature, Issues and
Recommendations for Action. InnovATE project, funded by USAID
http://www.oired.vt.edu/innovate/documents/Crosscutting%20Studies/ATVET+CCS+Kristal-Jones-9-20.pdf
2012
Jones, K. Case study of seed commercialization by a women’s group in Elkolta,
Niger. For the International Agriculture minor, the Pennsylvania State University
(20 pp.)
2011-13
Monitoring and evaluation section, ICRISAT Annual Report, Seed Systems
Project, McKnight Foundation
GRANTS and AWARDS
Grants
2010-14
Ph.D. Student Researcher (P.I. K. Jones), McKnight Foundation grant to the
International Crop Research Institute of the Semi-Arid Tropics $75,000
2013-14
Graduate Scholarship, Francena L. Miller and Michael F. Nolan Scholarship in
Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University
$1,000
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2012
2010
2010
2009-10
Awards
2013
2010
2005
2001-05
Graduate International Research Competitive Grant, College of Agricultural
Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University $2,000
Summer Travel and Research Support, College of Agricultural Sciences,
The Pennsylvania State University $1,500
Rice Research & Production Short Course Participant, International Rice
Research Institute, Funded by NSF Grant (P.I. S. Rice) Participation cost covered
Alex and Jesse Black Graduate Fellowship, The Pennsylvania State University
$15,000
Graduate Student Award, W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award
The Pennsylvania State University
Kenneth P. Wilkinson Memorial Scholarship in Rural Sociology,
The Pennsylvania State University
Phi Beta Kappa, University of North Carolina
Morehead Scholar, University of North Carolina
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Research
2013
Special topics research assistant, USAID innovATE project,
The Pennsylvania State University
2013
GIS consultant, cultural mapping projects of the Place Studies Initiative,
Bucknell University
2010-14
Social science research coordination, Seed Systems Project, McKnight
Foundation and International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
2009-10
Research Assistantship with Dr. Leland Glenna, The Pennsylvania State University
Teaching
2012
2012
Teaching assistant, Introduction to International Agriculture, The Pennsylvania
State University
Teaching assistant, African Foodways, The Pennsylvania State University
Invited guest lectures
2013
International agricultural research for development. Community, Environment
and Development Global Seminar, The Pennsylvania State University
2013
Food aid and international development. Politics of Food, Bucknell University
2013
International community-based and participatory research. Community,
Environment and Development Integrated Capstone Experience, The
Pennsylvania State University
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2013
2013
2011
Case study of seed commercialization by a women’s group in Elkolta, Niger.
Senior Seminar in International Agriculture, The Pennsylvania State University
How to find research funding. Graduate Seminar in International Agriculture and
Development, The Pennsylvania State University
Drought and food crisis in West Africa. Introduction to Environmental Studies,
Bucknell University
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Presentations at professional conferences
2013
The political ecology and social negotiation of alternative seed systems in West
Africa. Invited presentation on organized panel at the annual meeting of the
American Anthropological Association, Chicago, IL (Nov. 20-24)
2013
The political ecology of market-oriented seed system development and emergent
Alternatives. Conference paper for the Food Sovereignty: A Critical Dialogue
Agrarian Studies Conference, Yale University, New Haven, CT (Sept. 14-15)
2013
Lines or circles? Comparing supply chain development to indigenous geographies
of seed systems in West Africa. Presentation at the annual meeting of the American
Association of Geographers, Los Angeles, CA (April 9-13)
2012
Examining farmers’ and researchers’ perceptions of participation and its effects in
agricultural development projects. Presentation at annual meeting of Agriculture,
Food and Human Values, in New York, NY (June 20-24)
2011
Perceptions of Participation: Knowledge Sharing and Creating in Participatory
Plant Breeding Projects in West Africa. Poster presented at annual meeting of
Agriculture, Food and Human Values, in Missoula, MT (June 9-12)
2011
Broadening the Conversation: The International Agriculture Graduate Student
Forum. (second author) Poster presented by first author at annual meeting of
The Association for International Agricultural Extension and Education
in Windhoek, Namibia (July 3-7)
Invited presentations at The Pennsylvania State University
2012
Circles or lines? Exploring indigenous geographies and economies of seed
systems West Africa. Interinstitutional Consortium for Indigenous Knowledge
Seminar
2012
Participatory plant breeding and seed systems in West Africa. Office of
International Programs Lecture Series
2011
Discussion panel member, “Engaging students for collaborative partnerships in
African research.” Africa2Ag Week
2010
Discussion panel member, “Indigenous knowledge in globally-engaged research
scholarship.” Interinstitutional Consortium for Indigenous Knowledge Retreat
Manuscript referee
4
Geoforum (1), Agriculture and Human Values (2), Journal of Agricultural and Environmental
Ethics (1)
Additional training
2013
Latent growth curves in structural equation modeling, 5-day short course
Inter-institutional Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of
Michigan
2010
Rice Research to Production, 3-week short course, International Rice Research
Institute
University service
2010-present Steering Committee member, Ag2Africa, The Pennsylvania State University
2009-present Co-coordinator, International Agriculture Graduate Student Forum,
The Pennsylvania State University
2010
Graduate student representative, Department of Agricultural Economics and
Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University
2009-11
Graduate student mentor, Engineers Without Borders, The Pennsylvania State
University
Membership in professional organizations
2009-present Rural Sociological Society
2013-present Association for International Agriculture & Rural Development
OTHER EXPERIENCE
2006-08
Agroforestry Extension Volunteer, United States Peace Corps, Senegal
2005-06
Program Assistant. Montana Center for International Visitors, Bozeman, MT
2004
Counter-trafficking and Micro-Enterprise Intern, International Organization for
Migration, Yerevan, Armenia
SKILLS
Software: ArcGIS; SPSS; LISREL, MPlus; Adobe PageMaker and PhotoShop
Analysis: Transcription; Translation (French/English); Multi-level modeling
LANGUAGE
Reading: French (advanced)
Writing: French (advanced)
Speaking: French (fluent); Pulaar/Fulani (fluent); Bambara (basic); Hausa (basic)
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