SAN ANTONIO – A UTSA professor who is pioneering the concept of centering spirituality as a means to fight climate change has secured funding to advance climate science research and its impact on public behavior and society.
Jessica Eise, an assistant professor of social and environmental challenges in the Department of Communication, was awarded the $425,0000 through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), a story from UTSA Today said.
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An arm of Eise’s research will allow policymakers, business leaders and other stakeholders to make educated decisions on climate action encouragement.
“We have failed to take effective collective action in the 40 years we have known about climate change. We’re missing an important key,” Eise said. “This project is an incredible opportunity to explore a few critical possibilities that might serve to build consensus and momentum.”
Glenn Martinez, dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts, reiterated the importance of faculty research as a critical tool to shape conversation and education on climate change issues.
“This project holds the potential to reshape the way we approach the conversation on climate change and foster a collective commitment to tackling the urgent issues facing our planet,” Martinez said.
Eise will draw on the intersection of spirituality, moral and ethical aspects in her project.
“Rich ties between spirituality and environmentalism have existed for millennium and still do in many cultures and groups around the world,” she said in an interview with UTSA Today in March.
The project will exist in three stages beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, with an estimated end date of Dec. 31, 2026.
The first study will focus on several communication formats, such as group discussion and personal reflection, to gauge participants’ personal, spiritual and ethical views of climate change.
The second study will explore how multimedia narratives utilize moral or spiritual values to shape the understanding of climate issues.
The final study will encourage the participants to adopt a sustainable practice rooted in their personal beliefs and document their experiences.
“It is essential that we give social and human behavior the attention it requires, and this project allows us to do just that over a span of three years,” Eise said.