Luis Alexis Rodríguez-Cruz

I use science and creative writing to understand and give visibility to food systems issues in the Caribbean and beyond. My interdisciplinary and applied research aims to understand how different social-ecological dynamics, from the individual to the structural levels, interact and interconnect in relation to individual outcomes, such as adaptation, food security, and others. I also strive to integrate different publics and knowledges in the research process, and in bridging the gaps between sectors through culturally-appropriate science communication and outreach. Currently, I am a research fellow with the Caribbean Climate Hub, working in the development of the Climate Adaptation Guides for Tropical Agriculture and Forestry.

I hold a PhD in food systems from the University of Vermont. My dissertation focused on Puerto Rican farmers’ adaptation decision-making and food security outcomes in light of their recovery from Hurricane Maria, in order to better understand their adaptive capacity. My works have taken him from laboratories to 4H classrooms, and from fisheries to farms. I am from Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico, and also hold a MS in food science and technology, and a BS in biology, from the UPR’s Mayaguez and Ponce campuses, respectively.