Mira Word Ries
Project Coordinator, Global Locust Initiative, Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation
School of Sustainability
Arizona State University
PO Box 875502
Tempe, AZ 85287-5502
Titles
- Project Coordinator, Global Locust Initiative, Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation
Biography
As project coordinator for the Global Locust Initiative, Mira's role is to collaborate with stakeholders and Network Members to develop and activate projects, events, and research. Mira is an alumnus of GLI Labs and did her graduate work in Senegal where she studied plant-soil-insect-farmer interactions. Mira's interests are rooted in understanding how soil care and land-use practices can create sustainable alternatives to locust/grasshopper management, and more recently, how humanities and art can lead to new perspectives on human and other-than-human relationships. She has worked with non-profits, social enterprises, and farms in South America and Arizona.
Education
- MS, Sustainability, Arizona State University
- BA, Global Studies, Arizona State University
Journal Articles
2021
Le Gall, M., M. L. Word Ries, A. Beye and A. J. Cease. 2021. Physiological status is a stronger predictor of nutrient selection than ambient plant nutrient content for a wild herbivore. Current Research in Insect Science 1:100004. DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2020.100004. (link )
2020
Le Gall, M., M. L. Word Ries, N. Thompson, A. Beye and A. J. Cease. 2020. Nitrogen fertilizer decreases survival and reproduction of female locusts by increasing plant protein to carbohydrate ratio. Journal of Animal Ecology 89(10):2214-2221. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13288. (link )
Le Gall, M., M. L. Word Ries, N. Thompson, B. Manneh, A. Beye and A. J. Cease. 2020. Linking land use and the nutritional ecology of herbivores: A case study with the Senegalese locust. Functional Ecology 34(1):167-181. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13466. (link )
2019
Word Ries, M. L., S. J. Hall, B. E. Robinson, B. Manneh, A. Beye and A. J. Cease. 2019. Soil-targeted interventions could alleviate locust and grasshopper pest pressure in West Africa. Science of The Total Environment 663(May):632-643. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.313. (link )