Transforming the dialogue about climate change: Gale Sinatra

EARTH MONTH: Efforts in climate science education and communication escalate after educator and author Gale Sinatra’s Altadena residence and community are devastated in the Eaton fire.

During April, USC Trojan Family Magazine will highlight Trojans who have made a substantial impact in sustainability at the University of Southern California.

USC Distinguished Professor Gale Sinatra has been extensively teaching and writing about climate change, science education and communication — including the psychological effects of being displaced due to climate-triggered catastrophes.

“Now, I find myself a climate refugee,” says Sinatra, whose residence in Altadena was ravaged by the Jan. 7 Eaton fire, the second-most destructive wildfire in California’s history.

“I lost my neighborhood,” she explains. “I lost my yoga center, my favorite pizzeria, my beloved restaurant, my local coffee shop. You lose an entire community. I believe that’s what many fail to grasp about the repercussions of climate-influenced disasters like the Eaton Canyon wildfire.”

The professor of education and psychology at the USC Rossier School of Education and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences utilizes her research to comprehend the cognitive and emotional elements shaping public perceptions regarding environmental challenges.

Experiencing fire loss shapes education

Her recent personal devastation has made teaching in these areas deeply more personal.

“How could I not address it?” says Sinatra, who holds the Stephen H. Crocker Chair and currently serves as the associate dean for research at USC Rossier. “I won’t deceive you: Experiencing loss from a climate-related calamity has diminished my optimism somewhat. However, there are still reasons to uphold hope, as the sustainability movement is gaining traction.”

Her efforts to nurture that progress comprise co-authoring the 2021 book Science Denial: Why it Happens and What to Do About It with Middlebury College Emerita Professor of Psychology Barbara Hofer, authoring nearly 100 peer-reviewed papers, and instructing 19 courses — and continuing — on learning and cognition.

In the book, Sinatra and Hofer analyze doubt, denial, resistance, and the psychological factors that shape public understanding of science.

Sinatra has discovered that individuals frequently struggle with climate change due to the overwhelming nature of “the enormity of the issue.”

“Even when you grasp its reality, you may feel anxious, angry, or frustrated,” she states. “These feelings do not necessarily assist in comprehending climate impacts and determining how to respond.”

Communicating about climate change

The book includes recommendations
“`for individuals, educators, researchers, climate advocates, and decision-makers concerning how to engage with those who may not be initially open to the scientific explanations regarding climate change.

“When you converse with others, it’s about respecting their often valid apprehensions regarding climate change,” Sinatra states. “It’s essential to listen more than speak, dispel misinformation, and allow them to express their viewpoints. Then, it’s about attempting to present them with information that is more precise and aligns better with scientific understanding.”

Beyond her educational and writing endeavors, Sinatra perceives her contributions as even more significant within USC President Carol Folt’s Presidential Working Group on Sustainability in Education, Research, and Operations.

“We are striving to incorporate sustainability more fully into the USC undergraduate curriculum,” remarks Sinatra, who co-chairs the group’s education committee. “Partly because we recognize the necessity for it among students, but also as our students have expressed a desire for it. This will better equip them for future employment, as regardless of their chosen paths, they will inevitably encounter sustainability challenges.”

Stronger prevention efforts are essential

Sinatra cannot foresee whether the recent wildfires will markedly alter public perception regarding climate change, yet she firmly believes they should.

“Los Angeles has experienced numerous fires like these, and our Santa Ana winds occur quite regularly,” she notes. “Extreme weather occurrences have intensified those winds due to climate effects. We aren’t taking steps to adapt to the new reality, and that’s concerning.”

She hopes these catastrophic events will lead to a broader implementation of fire-resistant strategies, such as burying power lines, creating firebreaks (clear areas in vegetation) to slow or halt the spread of flames, and home hardening, which entails upgrading or retrofitting various components of a residence to enhance its resistance to embers and fire.

Sinatra expresses optimism that it is now more economical to utilize alternative energy sources like solar and wind instead of fossil fuels.

“Ultimately, it will make more sense for individuals,” she asserts. “I’m also hopeful because our youth, our students here at USC and those across the nation, are extremely worried about their prospects in a climate-volatile future. They care deeply about this issue, and we are committed to doing everything we can here at USC to prepare our students for the challenges posed by a shifting climate.”