Research Statement

"There is nothing as practical as a good theory"

~Kurt Lewin

"There is nothing so theoretical as a good method"

~Anthony Greenwald

​I am a scientist who works in conservation, natural resources, and sustainability contexts.

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I use the psychological, sociological, and behavioral sciences to examine how cognitive, structural, procedural, and technological element influence human behavior and those elements can be used to design behavior.

I explore how informal rules (social norms), established laws (formal institutions), principled beliefs (values) interact to influence individuals, groups, and policy.

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I use quantitative and qualitative methods to design surveys and experiments that assess and model behavior and decision processes via psychometric and multivariate techniques to infer causal relationships.

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I frame my research as problem-oriented, solution-driven, human-centered, and behavior-focused; it is intended to inform or facilitate the achievement of management objectives, societal goals, and public policy.

I prioritize collaborative, team-based approaches so my research questions and objectives are informed by the needs of partners, and co-developed with them; my research is intended to serve conservation and natural resources management in attaining its practical objectives via rigorous empirical science.

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