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.

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(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.

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(2024). Adapting agroforestry to upland farming systems: narratives from smallholder farmers in Northwest Vietnam. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, (44), 2, pp. 17, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-024-00954-8.

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(2024). Participatory modelling of scenarios to restore nitrogen cycles in a nutrient-saturated area. Science of The Total Environment, pp. 170335, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170335.

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