She holds a PhD in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz (2011), where she focused on agroecology and food systems studies. Dr. Hilimire’s research analyzes environmental conservation and farmer decision-making using interdisciplinary approaches. Recent work in this theme examined resilience in the face of water scarcity for western farmers and landscapes. Currently, Dr. Hilimire is examining drivers of participation in environmental-agricultural certification programs. Dr. Hilimire also studies interdisciplinary curriculum development for food system programs. Publications include work on integrated crop/livestock agriculture, pastured livestock management, food systems pedagogy, and farmer conservation adoption. Dr. Hilimire has taught and conducted research in the western U.S. and Latin America.​