Caroline Ruto is a PhD student in the Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences at Kansas State University. Her research interests are dryland ecosystems, understanding human-environment interactions and the sustainability of livestock-keeping rural communities in drylands. Her bachelor’s degree was in Dryland Agriculture and Enterprise Development from Kenyatta University, and she got her master’s in Global Food Security and Development from Nottingham Trent University. Her master’s research project explored the links and effects of the drought-conflict-food insecurity nexus among pastoralist communities in Kenya’s drylands.