Assistant Professor of Public Relations and Environmental Communication at the University of Cincinnati. Research includes psychology, persuasion, and behavior in topics related to science, environment, and tech.

Dr. Abel Gustafson is an expert on public opinion and strategic communication about sustainability, the environment, and technology. He studies the roles that emotions, uncertainty, social norms, uncertainty, worldviews, media, and politics play in driving public attitudes and behaviors.

Before joining the University of Cincinnati, he was a postdoc at Yale University (Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, 2018-2020) and earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara (Communication, 2018).

Kate Nicole Hoffman is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Cincinnati, affiliated with both the Department of Philosophy and the Center for Public Engagement with Science (PEWS). Her research focuses on understanding and reimagining the human-nature relationship in a contemporary world marked by environmental destruction. Central to her work is the concept of reciprocity, which she highlights as essential for building a healthier environmental future. She approaches these questions through an interdisciplinary lens, combining insights from environmental philosophy, animal studies, the sciences, community-engaged research, and her background in the performing arts to creatively address issues in conservation, climate change, and animal ethics.

Her academic work is deeply informed by policy and community-oriented projects with the United Nations and field experience in the Galápagos Islands, both of which continue to shape her research trajectory.

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Dr. Hoffman holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA in Philosophy from York University. She also earned a BA in Music from the Crane School of Music, where she studied classical voice. She remains actively involved in music, theater, and dance, and is continually exploring new ways to integrate her passion for the arts with her philosophical and environmental commitments.

Dr. Amy Townsend-Small is a Professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability at University of Cincinnati. She has a Ph.D. in Marine Science from The University of Texas at Austin and a B.A. in English and Biology from Skidmore College.  She is a service-driven researcher, teacher, and mentor in environmental science and policy, with a research focus on environmental impacts of the oil and gas industry.  Together with her collaborators and students, she has published dozens of peer-reviewed articles and raised millions of dollars in research funding.  She also works with local, national, and international governments on greenhouse gas emissions reductions policies based in science.  She recently served in the Biden-Harris Administration as the Senior Climate Advisor in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, United States Department of State.  She is the recipient of the Science and Community Award from the Ohio Environmental Council and the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the President of the United States.  

Peter Crawley has led at the intersection of strategic consulting, real estate and sustainability for more than fifteen years, serving as the principal advisor to top real estate owners and scores of  operating companies.  Peter has helped the executive teams at these enterprises develop and implement highly profitable Sustainability Strategies.  Prior to joining SR Inc, Peter served as the Director of Sustainability Services at the environmental engineering firm EBI Consulting, as well as Director of the Sustainable Business Leader Program of MA.  He has also taught on Sustainability, Leadership, and Corporate Social Responsibility as an adjunct professor at Boston College’s Carroll School of Business.

Peter is LEED accredited and has deep experience working on energy efficiency issues, product life cycle improvements, and greenhouse gas measurement, reduction, and reporting. He has worked on numerous LEED certification and high-performance building projects, and designed and implemented company-wide behavioral change programs to advance sustainability goals and enhance employee engagement.

Peter received his BA from Amherst College, his MS in Real Estate from Columbia University and his MA in Sustainability & Environmental Management from Harvard University.