Dr. Chesney McOmber

Chesney McOmber joined the Keene State faculty in the department of Environmental Studies in 2023. She completed her PhD in Political Science at the University of Florida in 2018 and was a postdoctoral teaching fellow at the University of Florida (2018-2019) and a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Connecticut (2020-2023).

Chesney's academic background reflects over a decade of international research experience and interdisciplinary collaboration on mitigating climate vulnerabilities amongst vulnerable populations in the Global South. These various projects have focused largely on the nexus of gender, food security, and climate change in Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Nepal.

Chesney's research explores two central and interrelated questions: 1) In what ways do historically marginalized populations respond to and express power in moments of political, social, and economic disruption caused by environmental crises? and, 2) What social processes and mechanisms drive (and inhibit) the types of social transformation necessary to build equitable (climate) resilient systems?

In order to understand each of these questions, she has developed two primary streams of research. The first focuses on social equity, empowerment, and political transformation processes in the context of environmental stressors and climate change. The second explores knowledge creation, information sharing, and artistic participatory research methodologies as they relate to social transformation and resilience building.

You can learn more about Chesney's research and teaching at her website linked here (https://chesneymcomber.wixsite.com/website).

Ph.D. Political Science, University of Florida

M.A. Political Science, University of Florida

B.A. Government, Smith College