Jonathon Schuldt

Jonathon P. Schuldt is a professor in the Department of Communication, a professor in the Brooks School of Public Policy, and Executive Director of the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at Cornell University. His research explores the social psychology of public opinion, with a special focus on the domains of the environment, health, and U.S. politics. His research has appeared in peer-reviewed journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Climate Change, and Journal of Environmental Psychology, and his writing has appeared in national publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post. He holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan.

Research Focus

My research focuses on the factors that influence judgments, decisions, and public opinion in the health and environment domains. Recent work examines the intersection of social identity and communication processes in public engagement on environmental and sustainability issues.

Outreach and Extension Focus

A primary goal of our work is to apply and extend theory in ways that inform real problems facing New York State and the world. Research findings are routinely shared with local and national media outlets in order to maximize the potential public benefit of the work.

Teaching Focus

My overarching goal in teaching (whether the class is large or small) is to create an environment in which students can engage with the course material in ways that are relevant to their everyday lives. To that end, assignments in my courses typically focus on application: whether it's a writing assignment that applies a course concept to a real-world event, an op-ed piece that students actually submit for publication or a group project that introduces students to active and collaborative social science research.