Emma Paisley

Garden with rows of beans growing

Emma Paisley

PhD Researcher in Food Systems & Experiential Learning

I study how people learn about food, and how that learning can reshape our relationship to agriculture, sustainability, and each other.

Introduction

I am a PhD student in the Interdisciplinary Social Research program at Trent University. My work sits at the intersection of food systems, experiential learning, and social justice, with a focus on how place-based education can foster more critical, informed, and engaged ways of understanding the world around us.

I’m particularly interested in what happens when learning moves beyond the classroom, when it becomes embodied, relational, and rooted in place.

What I Do

Research

I explore how experiential and place-based learning shape agricultural literacy, and how education can open up more critical conversations about food systems, sustainability, and power.

Teaching

I design and facilitate discussion-driven learning environments where students are encouraged to question, connect, and engage deeply with course material.

Community & Leadership

My work extends into community spaces through agricultural education, non-profit leadership, and initiatives that connect people more directly to food and land.