Ellie Martin

Ellie Martin is a Ph.D. candidate in Rural Sociology at The Pennsylvania State University, where she studies food systems, agriculture, and environmental governance in the United States. Her research focuses on how agricultural policy, industry consolidation, and economic pressures shape farmers’ environmental decision-making and influence sustainability outcomes. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Ellie graduated from The College of William and Mary in 2016 with a degree in finance and a minor in Italian. She worked in finance for five years but left this field to pursue a master's in Sociology of Religion at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Her thesis examined the Slow Food Movement as a semi-sacred space within the secular world, reflecting her broader interest in how culture, values, and collective identities influence food-related practices and communities. Ellie began her Ph.D. at Penn State in the fall of 2023. At Penn State, her research draws from environmental sociology, the sociology of agriculture and food systems, cultural sociology, and community development. She uses qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to investigate how agricultural communities navigate environmental, economic, and social challenges. Through her work, she seeks to contribute to more sustainable and equitable food systems while supporting the long-term wellbeing of rural communities.