Abi Brown

Multispecies Entanglements of Fungicide Resistance

Abi Brown is a PhD student in Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford, researching fungicide resistance in apple orchards. Her doctoral research focuses on the entanglements of fungi, apple trees, fungicides and the agricultural industry through a multispecies ethnography of English orchards. In particular, her work examines fungicide resistance as a window into the complexities of the chemical Anthropocene, and foregrounds fungi as agents whose responses to fungicides reveal the limits of agricultural anthropocentrism. She utilises assemblage theory, chemical geography, and political ecology, semi-structured interviews farmers, regulators, policy makers, NGOs and agrochemical companies, multispecies ethnography and arts-based methods to these ends.

Abi holds an MPhil in Anthropocene Studies from the University of Cambridge (distinction) and was awarded the Jenning’s Prize for outstanding academic achievements. She also holds a first-class BA in Human Geography from the University of Durham. Prior to her doctoral study, Abi gained experience in ESG, CSR, and corporate sustainability, working as a sustainability consultant and copywriter for two years before moving to Oxford.

Education

• MPhil in Anthropocene Studies (University of Cambridge, distinction)
• BA in Human Geography (University of Durham)

Awards

• ESRC Grand Union DTP Scholarship, University of Oxford, 2024
• St John’s College Graduate Partnership Scholarship, University of Oxford, 2024
• ESRC CAM-DTP Scholarship, University of Cambridge, 2024 (declined)
• University of Cambridge Vice Chancellor’s Award, 2024 (declined)
• Jennings Prize, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, 2022