About

Grace is a human geographer who specialises in understanding robust mechanisms for resilient landscapes. Her research interest is in socio-techno-ecological systems interactions using agent-based models and game simulations. She is also a Research Associate at the Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Germany. Prior to that, she was involved in interdisciplinary research projects in the US (with Center for Resilient Communities, University of Idaho), China, and Ethiopia. She applied agent-based land-use models and role-playing games for various climate change and agroforestry-related research projects in West Africa and Southeast Asia. She has more than 10 years of professional experience with international development research organisations (e.g., CGIAR’s World Agroforestry Center, Center for International Forestry Research, International Food Policy Research Institute, University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research, and West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use).

Qualifications

• PhD (Geography, with Hons), University of Bonn, Germany, 2012
• MSc (Tropical Forestry and Management, with Hons), Technical University Dresden, Germany, 2003
• BSc (Forestry, with Hons), University of the Philippines, 1998

Research capabilities

• Socio-ecological systems modeling (i.e., agent-based and participatory games)
• Behavioral economics (e.g., experimental games)
• Participatory/companion modeling
• Land-use change analysis/modeling
• Policy analysis
• Agroforestry systems (i.e., rubber and shea trees)
• Market instruments for ecosystem services

Career highlights

2019-present: Scientist/Economist, Scion, New Zealand
2017-present: Research Associate, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Germany
2017-2019: Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Center for Resilient Communities, University of Idaho, USA
2012-2017: Senior Researcher, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Germany
2011- 2013: Women's Post-doctoral Research Fellowship Award, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Bogor Indonesia
2006: The Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training (START) Fellowship Award  
2005: Royal Society of Southeast Asia Rainforest Program (RS-SEARP) Fellowship Recipient
2005: International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) Fellowship Recipient                                        
2004-2008: Assistant Scientist, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), the Philippines
1999-2001: Environmental Analyst, ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation, the Philippines

Selected papers

Villamor GB, Kliskey AD, Griffith DL, de Haro-Marti ME, Martinez AM, Alfaro M, Alessa L (2020) Landscape social-metabolism in food-energy-water systems: Agricultural transformation of the Upper Snake River Basin. Science of the Total Environment 705:135817.

Villamor GB, Griffith DL, Kliskey A, Alessa L (2020) Contrasting stakeholder and scientist conceptual knowledge in model development for food-energy-water systems: a case study in Magic Valley, Southern Idaho. Socio-Environmental Systems Modelling 2:16312.

Villamor GB, Badmos BK (2016) Grazing game: a learning tool for adaptive management in response to climate variability in semiarid areas of Ghana. Ecology and Society 21 (1).

Villamor GB, Le QB, Djanibekov, U, Vlek, PLG, van Noordwijk M (2014) Biodiversity in rubber agroforests, carbon emissions and rural livelihoods: An agent-based model of land-use dynamics in lowland Sumatra. Environmental Modelling & Software 61:151-165.

Villamor GB, Palomo I, Lopez Santiago C, Oteros-Rozas E, Hill J (2014) Assessing stakeholders' perceptions and values towards socio-ecological systems using participatory methods. Ecological Processes 3:22.