How Does Increasing Climate Risk Affect Communities?

Climate change is driving up insurance rates, causing a reshaping of communities both demographically and economically. Postdoctoral researcher Max Bradley investigates insurance as a key channel through which economic costs of climate change are distributed among different actors. His work explores how these rising costs are transforming local demographics and political dynamics.

Whose Expertise Counts? Incumbents, Challengers, and Party Control in U.S. Senate Energy Hearings.

When the Senate shapes energy policy, senators invite experts to testify, from fossil fuel companies to clean energy firms, government agencies, universities, and think tanks. Who gets invited to speak shapes which problems lawmakers hear and which solutions they consider. In this study, postdoctoral researcher Mircea Gherghina examines nearly 4000 statements in hearings of the Senate's energy committee between 1999 and 2024 and, using computational text analysis, traces whose expertise senators have relied on as the energy transition unfolded, and whether this depends on which party is in charge. The answer shows whether energy policy debates have opened up to new voices or remain dominated by established industries.

Will Pickup Drivers Go Electric? Identity and the Adoption of Electric Trucks

Pickup trucks are among the most popular vehicles in America, and they contribute a large share of greenhouse gas emissions. Car manufacturers have started selling electric pickups as early as 2021, hoping to reach drivers who have so far shown little interest in electric vehicles. But in many communities where trucks are part of local identity, driving an electric car can set you apart from your neighbors. Postdoctoral researcher Mircea Gherghina and Professor Chris Rea study whether people are more likely to adopt a green technology when it fits the identity of their community. They focus on electric trucks from well-known truck brands, comparing where these trucks are bought with where other electric vehicles are bought, especially in areas where electric cars have been slow to catch on. The project combines household and neighborhood data on vehicle owners across the United States with interviews with electric truck owners about why they bought their trucks and how the people around them have reacted.