Matthew LaFevor prepares ground for an experimental plot in Tlaxcala, Mexico during dissertation research

Matthew LaFevor's dissertation work examines the effects of hill-slope terracing on water conservation in the Mexican state of Tlaxcala. His research explores the cultural and biophysical links between indigenously developed agricultural technologies, such as terracing, and modern-day conservation initiatives that seek to imitate them. His dissertation is entitled Conservation Engineering and Cross-Slope Earthworks in Tlaxcala, Mexico. Research funding was provided by the National Science Foundation (DDRI grant # 1031676); Fulbright-Hays (IIE/Mellon Foundation); the David L. Boren Fellowship for International Study; and sources from the University of Texas at Austin.