About

In today’s fraught media environment, communicating policy-relevant science is more challenging than ever, and nowhere is this more evident than in the public discourse over human-caused climate change. The Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media focuses on the challenges and opportunities in communicating climate and environmental sustainability to the public and policymakers.

PCSSM draws upon Penn’s unique positioning in the climate space to make inroads in addressing this problem. First and foremost, the Annenberg School and Annenberg Public Policy Center, with projects like Factcheck.org, leads the academic world in the refutation of rampant misinformation. It is an unrivaled resource in the science communication battle. Arts & Sciences is home to experts in basic climate science, as well as a variety of other natural science, social science and humanities disciplines that are critical to assessing climate change impacts and the societal and ethical dimensions of the climate crisis. The Kleinman Center on energy policy and the Perry World House both bring in valuable domestic and international policy angles. Meanwhile other units at Penn including the Wharton School and Biden Center brings in complementary expertise, adding critical elements such as global engagement of the business and policy world and international diplomacy.

The PCSSM draws upon these diverse academic assets at Penn to synthesize an innovative vehicle for improving the public conversation surrounding issues of environmental sustainability and climate. The center not only bring together scientists, policy experts, and communication experts at Penn, but brings in leading outside voices from the worlds of science, academics, journalism, policy and governance to join and enhance that conversation.

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Interested in doing research with PCSSM? Email sas-ees-pcssm@sas.upenn.edu to touch base with us.

Interested in doing research with the Mann Research group? Check out their website for more opportunities in earth sciences.

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