Associate Professor in Justice, Resilience and Environment
Costa Rica
LL.M, International Human Rights Law
University of Essex (UK)
J.D. University of Buffalo Law School
State University of New York (NY, USA)
B.A. in Development Studies and Chinese Studies
Hampshire College (MA, USA)
SFS 3820 Justice, Resilience and Environment
(The School for Field Studies)
SFS 4910 Directed Research
(The School for Field Studies)
SFS 3141 Coffee, Chocolate, and Sustainable Development
(The School for Field Studies)
SFS 4930 Research Techniques and Strategies for Sustainability
(The School for Field Studies)
Mary is a human rights lawyer and food security advocate that has been researching development and agrarian transitions in Costa Rica for 14 years. Mary began her career investigating alternative financing for rural women in China and working with domestic violence organizations in Japan. After finishing her Master’s degree in Human Rights Law at the University of Essex in England, she worked at the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica. She has also taught human development as a right, food security, sustainable tourism and social research methods. Her research explores community-driven waste solutions, responsible tourism and regenerative food initiatives.
Mary is a Ph.D. candidate at the Nations-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica. Her research focuses on the links between tourism and food security in Monteverde by assessing how community efforts have impacted food availability and access since Covid-19. Recently Mary has been leading related fieldwork on the intersection of food justice and tourism in the Monteverde region of Costa Rica. This research revolves around themes of social solidarity economies including a community crypto-currency, community gardens, local food sourcing, and farm-to-farm training.
The research conducted at SFS field stations is designed to answer key questions related to critical and related social and environmental problems and to provide our hosts with detailed and accurate information for decision making and action. Faculty and student research projects are linked to the Center’s Five-Year Research Plan, which defines an overarching research directive.
This investigation was created to expand the understanding of community-based tourism activities near Carara National Park. The objectives include determining what tourism activities already exist, others the community would like to develop, obstacles to development and means by which communities can strengthen local tourism, ideally with the assistance of the Park.
Outputs:
Report on local restaurant and hotel water treatment practices to area stakeholders, including Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper and MaisPais/Santa Teresa Chamber of Tourism.
Report on Sustainable Tourism Opportunities Near Carara National Park
“Reduce and Recycle to Remain Relevant in Global Tourism”, Tico Times, Oct. 10, 2016
“Streamside Plants as a Solution to Pollution” Sophia Ryan and Mary Little, The Dirt Road, January 2017