Dr. Cory Whitney

Dr. Cory Whitney

Researcher

University of Bonn

Biography

I specialize in transdisciplinary research with diverse groups including policy makers, researchers, food activists, small-scale farmers and indigenous communities. I explore the trade-offs and synergies of development decisions directly impacting vulnerable communities. Through expert knowledge elicitation and holistic systems understanding I include local perspectives and knowledge in holistic models. I apply these models to decipher the intended and actual impacts of development decisions and guide decision-makers toward sustainable outcomes.

Interests
  • Human Ecology
  • Agroforestry
  • Decision Analysis
Education
  • PhD in Agricultural Sciences, 2018

    University of Kassel

  • MSc in Sustainable International Agriculture/International Organic Agriculture, 2011

    George-August University Göttingen/University of Kassel

  • BA in Human Ecology, 2003

    College of the Atlantic

  • AA in Natural Resources Management, 2001

    Sterling College, Vermont

Experience

 
 
 
 
 
Postdoctoral researcher
University of Bonn, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Horticulture Institute
Apr 2018 – Present Bonn, Germany
Teaching graduate courses, graduate student supervision, project management
 
 
 
 
 
Guest researcher
Center for Development Research (ZEF)
Oct 2016 – Present Bonn, Germany
Teaching interdisciplinary graduate courses in programming and modeling.
 
 
 
 
 
Scientific staff
Hochschule Rhein-Waal
Nov 2013 – Jun 2017 Kleve, Germany
Teaching undergraduate courses in horticulture.

Publications

(2025). Balancing ecosystem sustainability and irrigated smallholder agriculture: A modeling approach for water resource management. Journal of Hydrology, (651), pp. 132560, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132560.

PDF Cite

(2025). Decision support for selecting suitable frost protection methods for apricot orchards in Germany. Acta Horticulturae, 1425, pp. 231–238, https://doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2025.1425.30.

PDF Cite

(2025). Markets and incentives strongly drive agroforestry adoption: insights from ethnic minority smallholders in Son La, Vietnam. Agroforestry Systems, pp. 99:129, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-025-01199-4.

PDF Cite

(2025). Model-based decision support for the choice of active spring frost protection measures in apple production. Agricultural Systems, (224), pp. 104255, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104255.

PDF Cite

(2025). The carbon footprint of training system selection in apple production. Acta Horticulturae, 1425, pp. 449–456, https://doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2025.1425.58.

PDF Cite

Contact