Curriculum Vitae
K. Maria-Prisca Kouakou Ph.D. Candidate in Geography
About Me:
Aspiring to contribute innovative solutions in sustainable agriculture by leveraging my research experience, technical expertise, and passion for environmental stewardship.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Geography | University of Cambridge
- Expected Graduation: September 2025
- Dissertation: "Achieving Sustainability in Agrifood: The Case of Supply Chain agroforestry-based Interventions in the West African Cocoa Sector."
- Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Rachael Garrett
- M.Sc. in Environmental Science and Biodiversity | Felix Houphouet-Boigny University (UFHB)
- Graduated: June 2018
- Thesis: "National Park and Cashew Agroforestry Farms landscape matrix for optimising pollination services."
- B.Sc. in Plant Science | Nangui Abrogoua University (UNA)
- Graduated: June 2016
- Honors: First Class
Research Experience:
Ph.D. Researcher | University of Cambridge Oct 2022 – Present
- Conducted field surveys on cocoa agroforestry farm configurations to inform trade-offs and synergies between Economic and Environmental Cocoa Farm Management Decisions
- Collaborated with local farmers to implement sustainable farming practices and monitor food security outcomes.
- Team contribution to the design and implementation of norm-based interventions for cocoa agroforestry adoption
Doctoral Researcher | ETH Zurich Sep 2021 – Sep 2022
- Conducted a literature review on Environmental Governance and its impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services
- Designed research plan and fieldwork program
Research Student Intern | University of Frankfurt Sept. 2019 – Fev. 2020
- Assisted in the research on pesticide effect on the nervous system of bees
- Analyzed bee responses to different glyphosate concentrations.
Skills:
- Technical Skills: GIS, remote sensing, household survey
- Software Proficiency: R, QGIS, ODK, NVivo
- Research Skills: Experimental design, data analysis, scientific writing, project management
- Interpersonal Skills: Well-developed interpersonal skills/ leadership
- Research interests: Passionate about conservation, advocacy & capacity-building
- Languages: French (Native), English (Fluent), German (Basic)
Awards and Honors:
- Best Research Poster, West African Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (WABES) Workshop (2018)
Professional Memberships:
- Member, University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute (UCCRI)
- Member, Cambridge Global Food Security (GFS)
- Member, West African Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (WABES)
Conferences and Workshops:
- Presenter, Global Land Program, Mexico (2024-upcoming)
- Topic: "Realizing agrobiodiversity with smallholders for sustainable land use"
- Participant, Workshop on World Cocoa Conference, CIAT (2024)
- Speaker, Cambridge Zero Postgraduate Academy Summer Symposium (2024)
- Topic: "Food and Climate"
Extracurricular Activities:
- Volunteer, Local Climate Policy Programme, Cambridge (2024-Present)
- Measure, track, and report progress on climate action in Cambridge City.
References:
- Prof. Dr. Rachael Garrett
- Moran Professor of Conservation and Development
- Department of Geography and Conservation Research Institue
- University of Cambridge
- Email: rg711@cam.ac.uk
- Prof. Dr. Johan Six
- Full Professor, Department of Environmental Systems Science
- Deputy head of Institute of Agricultural Sciences
- ETH Zürich
- Email: johan.six@usys.ethz.ch