Drew Gerkey

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Drew Gerkey is an anthropologist studying the intersections of culture, environment, evolution, and economy. His research is grounded in long-term ethnographic research with Indigenous communities in the Arctic, and it extends to collaborations with researchers working in other parts of the world. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, he studies the social and ecological dynamics of cooperation and collective action in a variety of contexts, from subsistence economies, social networks, and institutions to conservation, environmental governance, and sustainability. This work generates insights on social dilemmas that arise when individual interests and the common good imperfectly align, supporting efforts to enhance environmentally sustainable and socially just connections between people and nature. Drew’s research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Program, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. His recent publications include articles in Current Anthropology, Science Advances, Global Environmental Change, World Development, and the American Journal of Human Biology. At SESYNC, Drew developed collaborative projects with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, applying social network analysis to understand social and ecological dynamics of subsistence harvests in Alaska. He also participated in SESYNC-funded team synthesis projects, including a global synthesis of environmental, demographic, and health data that examined links between conservation and human well-being. Drew is an Associate Professor in Anthropology at Oregon State University. He completed a PhD in Anthropology from Rutgers University and a BA in Anthropology and English Literature from Kenyon College. Prior to joining SESYNC, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington.

External Links:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Slj21mQAAAAJ&hl=en
https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/users/drew-gerkey
https://twitter.com/drewgerkey?lang=en

Image
Photo of Drew Gerkey
2012 - 2014
Areas of Expertise
anthropology
ecology
evolution
behavioral economics
political ecology
Research Interests
tropical coral reef systems
conservation
Methods of Expertise
field study
statistical analysis