I am a cultural anthropologist interested in human-environment interactions in the Brazilian Amazon. My research seeks to understand Amazonian livelihoods and land uses in relation to political and economic drivers, but also to expand the view through attention to cultural factors, such as ideals of work, nature, and masculinity, as well as food and landscape preferences. The goal is to understand why destructive environmental practices, particularly cattle raising, make sense from the perspective of different actors. My book, Rainforest Cowboys: The Rise of Ranching and Cattle Culture in Western Amazonia, won the 2016 Book Prize from the Brazil Section the Latin American Studies Association. The Portuguese translation of the book is available for free download here.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, I was on sabbatical at Latin American Centre and the School of Environment and Geography at University of Oxford. Along with Brazilian colleague Valerio Gomes, I lead the inaugural Fulbright Amazonia Initiative (2022-2024).