New paper out: Combining personal and political action most popular climate solution narrative

A wide variety of existing narratives describe how we might address climate change. Which of these approaches is popular among the American public? Do the general public and their elected officials accurately perceive which climate solutions are popular? We assess personal endorsement and perceptions of public support in national representative samples of the U.S. public (N = 1500) and local-level U.S. policymakers (N = 500). Proactive narratives, like ones advocating for both personal behavior and policy action, are widely endorsed, but both the public and policymakers greatly underestimate their popularity (a case of pluralistic ignorance), especially for narratives calling for systemic change. Greater endorsement of these narratives corresponded to greater willingness to take personal and political actions and support climate policy. We also find experimental exposure to some climate narratives (N = 2060) may increase participants’ behavioral intentions and policy support, suggesting which narratives are spread in popular media is important to help address climate change.

Alternate dimension mill

The latest project from MDWST Fable, Alternate Dimension Mill will explore more positive ways to imagine our collective future via talks and performances from other dimensions.

Join us for a playful and speculative excursion into alternate dimensions organized around five sets of guests reflecting on topics essential to our lives in this dimension: climate (IU scholar Shahzeen Attari), war (engineer Sami Koutsares), art (artist Jon Vickers, poet Terry Sloan, and musician Jason Fickel), music (saxophonist and bandleader Peyton Womock), and the spirit of the city (local politics expert Steve Volan), what makes our town our town.

These guests will appear on April 19, 2025 at the Monroe County Public Library Auditorium at 3:30 PM. Admission is free, though audience members should be aware that a short questionnaire may be required for entry. Portal visualizations will be provided by NYC video artist Daniel McKleinfeld. 

“[T]he main goal of the Alternate Dimension Mill is to suggest that nothing has to be the way it is,” notes Rice. “We could have a shared future we love, no matter what dimension we find ourselves in. Dystopia isn’t the only option,” adds Newyear.

Ecologies Symposia

Excited to be part of the Ecologies Symposia this coming academic year. “How do we understand or represent the changing ecosystems that we both inhabit and are? What might the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities be able to teach each other about sustainable ecologies in the anthropocene? In posing such questions, the symposium aims to expand theoretical frameworks beyond siloed disciplines and take a capacious understanding of what “ecology” means.”

Muddling through Climate Change: A Qualitative Exploration of India and U.S. Climate Experts’ Perspectives on Solutions, Pathways, and Barriers

New paper just published in Sustainability:

Abstract: Climate solutions related to mitigation and adaptation vary across the United States and India, given their unique current socio-political–technological abilities and their histories. Here, we discuss results from online face-to-face interviews undertaken with 33 U.S.-based climate experts and 30 India-based climate experts. Using qualitative grounded theory, we explore open-ended responses to questions related to mitigation and adaptation and find the following: (1) there is broad agreement among experts in both countries on the main mitigation solutions focused on the decarbonization of energy systems, but (2) there are a diversity of views between experts on what to prioritize and how to achieve it. Similarly, there is substantial agreement that adaptation solutions are needed to address agriculture, water management, and infrastructure, but there is a wide variety of perspectives on other priorities and how best to proceed. Experts across both countries generally perceived mitigation as needing national policies to succeed, while adaptation is perceived as more local and challenging given the larger number of stakeholders involved in planning and implementation. Our findings indicate that experts agree on the goals of decarbonization, but there was no consensus on how best to accomplish implementation.

This work was funded by grant from the Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University’s Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenge Initiative.

Yoder L, Cain A, Rao A, Geiger N, Kravitz B, Mercer M, Miniard D, Nepal S, Nunn T, Sluder M, et al. Muddling through Climate Change: A Qualitative Exploration of India and U.S. Climate Experts’ Perspectives on Solutions, Pathways, and Barriers. Sustainability. 2024; 16(13):5275. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135275

DOE Large Scale Solar project

New project: “A Comparative Analysis of Community Support for U.S. Large-Scale Solar Development” just approved for DOE funding of $2.5M. Lead PIs are Sanya Carley (UPenn) and David Konisky (IUB) with co-PIs: Jennifer Silva (IUB), Parrish Bergquist (UPenn), Gilbert Michaud (Loyola U.), Alison Knasin (UPenn) and Shahzeen Attari (IUB).

In this collaborative effort, our objective is to study the factors that influence community acceptance of LSS (large-scale solar). Our goal is to evaluate when and how the influence of siting practices and community perceptions and beliefs affect community support or opposition for LSS projects and the advancement of projects from planning to completion. To address these objectives, we seek to answer the following interrelated questions:

1. Which factors most significantly shape community perceptions toward local LSS projects?

2. What siting practices are most important in understanding levels and patterns of community support for LSS projects?

3. What LSS siting practices serve to effectively engage or disengage communities, and under what conditions do they meaningfully increase or decrease community support for LSS projects?

4. Do the effects of siting practices vary by community, and, specifically, do they shape community support differently in historic fossil fuel or disadvantaged communities?

Wrigley Storymakers Program

Excited to be part of the Wrigley Storymakers fellowship for 2024.

“Through the Wrigley Institute Storymakers program, scientists become storytellers, and academic research becomes a vision that changes the world. The Storymakers program is a weeklong intensive that trains full-time, mid-career researchers in the art of environmental storytelling. Held in residence at the Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) on Catalina Island, the program includes lectures, workshops, studio time for creating original content, and networking opportunities. Instructors are chosen from the best in media, the arts, and publishing.”

Princeton conference: Global India Frontiers

April 12-13 - Heading to Princeton to moderate a session on India and sustainability. Looking forward to learning from all these speakers.

Global India Frontiers is the first pan-USA conference that brings together academics across multiple disciplines to discuss key themes relating to Global India - economy, sustainability, arts, innovation, inclusion and partnerships. The goal is to feature breakthrough advances, share diverse viewpoints and stimulate collaborations with potential to transform the world. The format of the conference is a series of plenary sessions around key themes, interspersed with breakout/networking sessions that facilitate collaboration and discussion.

Current service at IU

Here is a list of active service internal to IU (not including advising):

Promotion and Tenure Committee for O’Neill

“Environment at IU” Committee Chair

Cluster hire at O’Neill Committee member

Patten Lecture Committee  

Integrated Program on the Environment executive committee

Campus-level Tenure Advisory Committee

Awards Committee O’Neill

Environment Resilience Institute Steering Committee

Advisory Board for the Observatory on Social Media

Sustainability Psychology - Keynote for SPSPSP

Shahzeen will be giving a keynote at the SPSP Sustainability Psychology Preconference on Feb 7, 2024.

Welcome to the 13th annual Sustainability Psychology Preconference! This year’s theme is “Individual and Structural Approaches to Addressing Climate Change.” As sustainability psychology researchers, we often focus on individual actions but overlook the impact of larger structural changes necessary to create and maintain a sustainable planet. This year’s preconference showcases cutting-edge research that extends the predominant scope of sustainability psychology. We shine a spotlight on work that includes both top-down, research that focuses on structural change, policy and key decision makers, and bottom-up, research that emphasizes the need for changes in our day-to-day lives. Our preconference is open to participants at all career stages and professional backgrounds and will include two keynote addresses, an invited speaker session, single-presenter talks, blitzes, and a happy hour event. 

Paul H. O'Neill Professorship

Clockwise from top left: Joe Shaw, Shahzeen Attari, Allison Schable, Dena Carson

Received a Paul H. O’Neill Professorship to fund new lines of research!

The Professorship provides funding to help collect new data and supports new research ideas. Thanks to Paul H. O’Neill and the O’Neill School.

Congratulations to Professor Joe Shaw (Paul H. O’Neill Chair) and also Associate Professors Dena Carson and Allison Schnable who received a Professorship.

More here.