Researchers conducting social network analysis of the environmental justice and climate justice community active in climate adaptation and conservation

Sammie Powers, assistant professor, College of Education and Human Development (CEHD); Hung-Ling (Stella) Liu, associate professor, CEHD; Ted Chen, assistant professor, Environmental Science and Policy, College of Science; and Ellen B. Drogin Rodgers, associate professor, CEHD, received funding for: “Social Network Analysis of the Environmental Justice and Climate Justice Community Active in Climate Adaptation and Conservation.”

The researchers will develop the methodology for a social network analysis to identify, map, and measure relationship patterns among organizations that are engaged in environmental and climate justice work as it relates to climate adaptation and conservation. They will then apply the methodology in a national analysis for the National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC) and a minimum of two regional Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC) analyses.

Effectively advancing climate adaptation and conservation requires cohesive and strategic collaboration among a robust network of partners who are actively engaged, committed to the principles of both environmental and climate justice, and work effectively across sectors, scales, and jurisdictions. Building, maintaining, and strengthening such a network is not without challenges, making the identification and understanding of relevant partners with shared resource management objectives vital for successful collaborative conservation and climate adaptation that center environmental and climate justice.

The researchers received $300,000 from the U.S. Geological Survey (NCASC) for this research. Funding began in September 2024 and will end in September 2026.