Disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the United States
To meet the demands of technological change required for climate change mitigation, academic research must cover a broad range of climate solutions. Diverse participation in this research is important because research shows that a variety of backgrounds and problem-solving approaches are important t...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad0166 |
| _version_ | 1797658828718735360 |
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| author | April Burrage Anna Goldstein Tim Carter |
| author_facet | April Burrage Anna Goldstein Tim Carter |
| author_sort | April Burrage |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To meet the demands of technological change required for climate change mitigation, academic research must cover a broad range of climate solutions. Diverse participation in this research is important because research shows that a variety of backgrounds and problem-solving approaches are important to solving complex problems such as climate change. In our study, we examine the discplinary and institutional diversity of federal funding for academic research on climate solutions (ARCS) in the United States. We identify $1.42 billion in federal funding for ARCS in fiscal years 2019 and 2020. Our findings reveal that 85% of federal ARCS grants are awarded to Principal Investigators in engineering and the natural sciences. Additionally, institutions classified as having high research activity (R1s) receive over 60% of the ARCS funding per student. Tribal institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic Serving Institutions collectively receive only $109.20 in ARCS funding per student, compared to $334.30 per student for other institution types. These disparities in federally funded ARCS grants are, in part, a consequence of the absence of policies that promote interdisciplinary collaboration and broader participation in academic research. We discuss the policy implications that have contributed to the identified inequities in ARCS funding and current policies that could enhance the distribution of ARCS in the future. We propose strategies for federally funded ARCS to support an equitable energy transition that addresses the needs of contemporary society and beyond. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:04:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b8374d20568401ab8fe1d0bbffd7d43 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:04:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b8374d20568401ab8fe1d0bbffd7d432023-10-17T08:05:43ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262023-01-01181111401910.1088/1748-9326/ad0166Disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the United StatesApril Burrage0Anna Goldstein1Tim Carter2Economics Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst, MA 01003, United States of AmericaDirector of Impact, Prime Coalition , Cambridge, MA 02139, United States of AmericaPresident, Second Nature , Cambridge, MA 02108, United States of AmericaTo meet the demands of technological change required for climate change mitigation, academic research must cover a broad range of climate solutions. Diverse participation in this research is important because research shows that a variety of backgrounds and problem-solving approaches are important to solving complex problems such as climate change. In our study, we examine the discplinary and institutional diversity of federal funding for academic research on climate solutions (ARCS) in the United States. We identify $1.42 billion in federal funding for ARCS in fiscal years 2019 and 2020. Our findings reveal that 85% of federal ARCS grants are awarded to Principal Investigators in engineering and the natural sciences. Additionally, institutions classified as having high research activity (R1s) receive over 60% of the ARCS funding per student. Tribal institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic Serving Institutions collectively receive only $109.20 in ARCS funding per student, compared to $334.30 per student for other institution types. These disparities in federally funded ARCS grants are, in part, a consequence of the absence of policies that promote interdisciplinary collaboration and broader participation in academic research. We discuss the policy implications that have contributed to the identified inequities in ARCS funding and current policies that could enhance the distribution of ARCS in the future. We propose strategies for federally funded ARCS to support an equitable energy transition that addresses the needs of contemporary society and beyond.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad0166climate solutionsacademic researchtechnological changediversity |
| spellingShingle | April Burrage Anna Goldstein Tim Carter Disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the United States Environmental Research Letters climate solutions academic research technological change diversity |
| title | Disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the United States |
| title_full | Disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the United States |
| title_fullStr | Disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the United States |
| title_short | Disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the United States |
| title_sort | disciplinary and institutional diversity of federally funded academic research on climate solutions in the united states |
| topic | climate solutions academic research technological change diversity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad0166 |
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