I'm a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at Michigan State University and have an undergraduate degree in Economics and three master’s degrees: Economics, Mathematics, and Public Policy. Prior to being accepted into the doctoral program, I was a principal analyst for one of the largest electric and gas utilities in Michigan for just over two decades.
How, what, and with whom we communicate has profound effects on our attitudes toward and responses to the most pressing social and environmental challenges of today and tomorrow—such as climate change, energy insecurity and equity, and environmental justice. As a researcher, I’m interested in the ways persuasive messages, norms, opinion leaders, and incentives interact to influence (1) how we make decisions about our use of energy and the environment and (2) how these decisions lead to the diffusion of alternative innovations and policies over time.