Kelsey Hall, Ed.D.

Field: Agriculture
Areas of Focus: Agricultural Communication, Local Food Marketing

Expertise

• Local food marketing
• Agricultural communication
• Science communication
• Extension evaluation program
• Planning
• Food insecurity

Bio

Dr. Kelsey Hall's educational background and work experience relate to agricultural communication. Dr. Hall prepares students to communicate about agricultural and environmental issues using print, broadcast, and digital media to different audiences. At USU, she teaches undergraduates in agricultural communication. She teaches graduate students in Extension education. Her courses include Introduction to Agricultural Communication, Senior Project (Web Design), Communication Tools in Extension, Principles and Practices of Extension Education, and more.

Most of her research projects discover how agricultural communication and Extension programs can impact local communities through the local food movement (farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture, farm stands, online farm sales, farm to school sales, and direct-to-retail businesses). She also determines the effects technology use and communication methods have on citizen engagement in the local food movement. Her second research focus deals with developing and assessing various learning interventions and delivery technologies that increase higher-order thinking. Hall's research strengths are program evaluation, survey methodology, specific qualitative research designs (focus groups, interviews, content analysis, observation), and mixed-method design.

In August 2017, she was appointed to the Local Food Advisory Council, which is made up of state legislators, farmers and ranchers, and organizations connected with food and agriculture. The council was created in response to increasing interest and support for local food by the public.