AGCI welcomes social scientist Rebecca Rasch as our newest staff member!

AGCI is thrilled to welcome Dr. Rebecca Rasch as the newest member of our core team! A sociologist and demographer by training, Rebecca will assist in the design and execution of AGCI’s scientific research agenda, help foster our research and practice partnerships, and help deepen understanding of our programs’ impact.

Rebecca brings a wealth of social science research experience to AGCI from her work across the public and private sectors, including expertise in spatial demography, survey research, qualitative research methods, and natural resource conservation policy. In her varied research portfolio, she has employed mixed methods approaches to explore the social drivers of global change, social vulnerability to climate change, and equitable climate adaptation solutions.

Rebecca was drawn to AGCI’s unique mission to advance global change science and solutions. “The Institute’s focus on supporting actionable, impactful, and transdisciplinary approaches is compelling and rare,” she says. “I’m excited to apply my social science skills to identify equitable and powerful adaptation strategies that help societies thrive in this epoch of acute global change. I’m also drawn to AGCI’s commitment to learning by creating deliberate processes for evaluating impact, and I’m looking forward to aiding in these efforts.”

“We are so excited to have Rebecca join our team!” says AGCI Research Director Julie Vano. “Her unique experiences and research skills will enhance our ability to take on work that crosses boundaries between social and physical sciences and focuses on effective and actionable knowledge.”

Immediately prior to joining AGCI, Rebecca worked as a Research Scientist with Amazon’s equity research team. Her other past roles include Regional Social Scientist and Presidential Management Fellow with the USDA Forest Service, Senior Project Manager for the Social Science Research Council, and engagements with public and private organizations across six continents, focused on sustainable development and environmental policy. She also served as an agroforestry and micro-enterprise development Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic. In her free time, you can find Rebecca exploring new nature-based destinations, both on solo expeditions and on more moderate adventures with her partner, son, and daughter.

Welcome to the AGCI team, Rebecca!