As a major force of global environmental change and source of livelihood for millions of people around the world, food and fiber production lies at the intersection of human and non-human nature and accordingly require trans-disciplinary approaches for research and understanding. Although the discipline of ecology has traditionally focused on “natural systems,” the importance of applying ecological principles to human-modified landscapes is increasingly recognized. Connecting ecology with human systems like agriculture is important for both informing our understanding of how ecosystems work as well as addressing various environmental challenges. Ecologists studying agriculture are thus in a unique position to bridge communities and ecosystems using novel theoretical and methodological approaches. This symposium seeks to highlight the ways in which agroecology—defined as simultaneously a science, movement, and a practice—can integrate the natural and social sciences to address complex problems facing people and the environments on which they depend. The work presented in this session will span diverse geographies and study systems to illustrate the relevance of community engagement to agroecological research and provide examples of how ecologists can work across disciplines to answer critical environmental justice and sustainability questions.