Within the field of conservation psychology, my research is focused on the impact of the socio-cultural context on the individuals’ ability to live sustainably and happily. Very broadly, I am interested in forces that disconnect individuals from knowing nature and understanding their environmental impact and interested in ways to reconnect and involve individuals in collective approaches to environmental conservation.

One line of inquiry is how socio-economic forces promoting competitive achievement, wealth, and fame as the primary markers of individual success can disconnect individuals from each other, from community and from nature. My graduate students also examine carbon mitigation policy tools, such personal cap and trade systems, that can reconnect citizens to their environmental impact and involve them in a collective approach to reducing carbon emissions.

I am not accepting students in the Psychology graduate program. I will only be considering master's students in the NRES Environmental Studies program. Graduate student applicants must have undergraduate courses in psychology and courses in either environmental studies or sociology.