Cameron Whitley
Associate Professor
About
I use a social psychological lens to investigate how our relationships with others inform our attitudes and behaviors, with a particular focus on empathetic and altruistic responses related to environmental issues. I have been involved in numerous interdisciplinary collaborations and published with over 50 different scholars across 17 different fields of study. I find that interdisciplinary research is essential to addressing complex social problems. In 2023, I received a $529K NSF CAREER grant to assist zoos and aquariums across the country with identifying the best animal imagery to activate empathy and achieve conservation goals. Beyond this project, my published research has explored the sustainability practices of college students, public support for plant-based diets, individual perceptions of environmental risk, the social drivers of climate-induced migration, support for new energy technologies (like hydraulic fracturing), the political influence of greenhouse gas emissions, and the place of women in conservation networks. I also conduct research on a variety of questions addressing transgender health. I was the lead author on the first article to assert that transgender people are not adequately supported in organ transplant medicine, which leads to delays in care. This work is ongoing and has led to policy changes.