Dr. Diego Thompson is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Mississippi State University. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology and Sustainable Agriculture from Iowa State University and previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Middlebury College.

His teaching, research, and outreach interests focus on rural and community development, agri-food systems, environmental change and resilience, immigration in rural communities, and the social dimensions of emerging agricultural technologies. His work emphasizes collaborative and community-engaged approaches to addressing rural challenges related to environmental hazards, housing insecurity, food systems, immigration, and technological transformation across the United States and Latin America.

Dr. Thompson has participated in interdisciplinary and multi-institutional projects supported by agencies such as USDA-NIFA and the National Science Foundation, collaborating with researchers, Extension personnel, and community partners across multiple regions. His research has been published in journals focused on sociology, rural studies, community development, environmental studies, and agri-food systems, including Rural Sociology, Journal of Rural Studies, Community Development, Agriculture and Human Values, and the International Journal of the Sociology of Agriculture and Food.