Bec Colvin is a social scientist and senior lecturer with the Resources, Environment & Development Group at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. Bec researches the social and political dimensions of contentious issues associated with climate policy and energy transition. Her research is focused on understanding the complexity of how different people and groups engage with social, policy, and political conflict about climate and energy issues, particularly through the theoretical lens of the social identity approach. She has explored conflict about wind energy, coal seam gas, coal, and climate policy and energy transition more broadly, in settings ranging from the public sphere through to local communities.

Most recently, she has published research on how local residents’ policy priorities for economic diversification of the coal-producing Upper Hunter region, and patterns of aggregate public opinion about climate change in Australia. In 2022, she will commence work on an Australian Research Council Discovery Project that seeks to understand the influence of ‘unconventional advocates’ – like farmers, business people, and political conservatives – on public opinion about climate policy.

At the Crawford School of Public Policy, Bec teaches courses on the role and practice of communication in climate and environmental policy, quantitative social research methods, independent research on climate policy, and is Co-Convener of the Master of Climate Change and Convenor of the Graduate Certificate of Climate Policy. Bec is on the editorial board of leading journal Environmental Research Letters, and is a regular contributor to the media on issues to do with climate and energy.

• Social & political conflict about climate and environmental issues.
• Interactions between identity, values, and ideology, in shaping attitudes toward climate and environmental issues.
• Social experiences of energy transition & development, with a focus on wind, coal, and unconventional gas.
• Effective communication on climate change and environmental issues.
• Community and stakeholder engagement process dynamics.

Please get in touch if you are interested in undertaking a PhD exploring the intersection of some or all of:

• Environment & climate change 
• Identity, values & ideology
• Social & political conflict 
• Communication & participation 

The effect of unconventional advocates on public support for climate policy, ARC Discovery Project (2022-2025)

Bachelor of Environmental Management (Hons 1, Valedictorian) 2012, The University of Queensland

PhD 2017, The University of Queensland