ELLA KIM MARRIOTT
RESEARCH ASSISTANT BIO
My name is Ella Kim Marriott (she/her). I recently completed my MSc in Rural Sociology in the Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology (REES) department at the University of Alberta.
For my thesis, I interviewed immigrant and migrant oil and gas workers of Asian descent on topics related to energy transitions in Alberta. I am a mixed Korean settler, born and raised on the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.
I currently reside on Treaty 6 Territory. I became interested in this project because of my experience with qualitative research and my interest in just and sustainable food systems.
I hope to continue to grow as a qualitative researcher, learn more about Alberta’s farmers and agriculture and to better understand facilitators of and barriers to important industry transitions.
CURRENT RESEARCH WORK
Ella is working on the New Farmers Study. To date, there is limited understanding of the motivations underlying the transition to farming, especially among individuals without a farming background. Through a series of interviews, Ella will work to (a) understand the motivations underlying farm transitions for individuals with or without a farming background, (b) identify the stressors, barriers and facilitators to transitioning to farming, and learn what resources and support have helped them navigate the transition process.
