Jennifer Joy West

Jennifer is an environmental social scientist holding a Master in Management of Natural Resources and Sustainable Agriculture (MNRSA) and PhD in international environment and development studies, both from Noragric. As head of the Department of International Environment and Development Studies, she leads academic and strategic development of research and education across Noragric's study programmes and research areas. 

West has several decades of interdisciplinary research experience working at the interface between climate change adaptation, rural and agricultural development and transformations toward sustainability in Norway and internationally. Her primary academic expertise lies at the interface between climate adaptation, agricultural development and climate services in support of sustainable development, with a particular focus on East Africa and on inter/transdisciplinary methodologies integrating natural and social sciences and qualitative and quantitative approaches. She has also contributed to research on enhancing the relevance of climate information and services for food and nutritional security in Africa, coastal adaptation in Norway/Europe and to initiatives aimed at enhancing social science contributions to climate change and climate services research internationally. 

West currently chairs NMBU's cross-faculty Global South Working Group.