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Dr. Kotcher is a nationally recognized scholar and a co-principal investigator of the influential Climate Change in the American Mind project—a collaboration with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication that tracks U.S. public opinion on climate change and climate policy. Over the course of his career, he has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on more than $1.2 million in research funding and has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications. His work has appeared in leading journals including The Lancet Planetary Health, Nature Climate Change, and The BMJ, and has been featured in major news outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic.
“I’m honored to step into this role and continue the Center’s important mission at such a critical time,” said Kotcher. “Dr. Maibach has shaped the field of climate communication, and I’m grateful for his mentorship and the opportunity to support our team’s ongoing work to inform and empower the public and conduct action-oriented research.”
Dr. Maibach is widely considered one of the most influential figures in the field of climate communication. During his tenure, he co-founded major national initiatives including the Climate Change in the American Mind project, the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, and the Climate Matters program supporting broadcast meteorologists as local climate educators. In 2021, news agency Thompson Reuters identified him as one of the world’s 10 most influential scientists working on climate change. His contributions earned him honors such as the Beck Family Presidential Medal for Excellence in Research and the Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. In 2023, he was elected a member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine.
“John brings a deep understanding of the science of climate communication that drives our work,” said Maibach. “He’s a thoughtful leader and a brilliant scholar. I’m so pleased that our Center will be moving forward under his guidance.”
Mason 4C is a chartered research center of George Mason’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) and was founded in 2007. "The Center for Climate Change Communication has helped create an entirely new field of study and has served the nation in important ways since its creation in 2007," said Ann Ardis, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Science at George Mason University. "We are extremely proud of its work and delighted that its new director Dr. Kotcher, is a Mason Ph.D. alum."
As always, thanks for your support of our work!
About the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
The College of Humanities and Social Science is one of the largest colleges at George Mason, employing more than 800 faculty and staff, delivering critical courses for the university community, and offering an expansive range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary degree programs (23 undergraduate majors, 14 graduate certificates, 18 master’s degrees, 9 doctoral degrees, and 22 accelerated master’s degree pathways). Learn more at their website.
About the Center for Climate Change Communication
Founded in 2007, the mission of the George Mason Center for Climate Change Communication is to develop and apply social science insights to help society make informed decisions that will stabilize the earth's life-sustaining climate and prevent further harm from climate change. To achieve this goal, we engage in three broad activities: we conduct unbiased communication research; we help government agencies, civic organizations, professional associations, and companies apply social science research to improve their public engagement initiatives; and we train students and professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve public engagement with climate change.
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