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See how our current work and research is bringing new thinking and new solutions to some of today's biggest challenges.

Katherine McComas

Vice Provost for Engagement and Land-Grant Affairs, Office of the Provost

Professor, Department of Communication

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Contact Information

461 Mann Library Building
Ithaca, NY 14853

kam19 [at] cornell.edu

Selected Publications

  • McComas, K. (2023, May). The role of risk communication in meeting global energy needs: Keeping cooler heads as the conversation heats up. Keynote presented at the SRA-Europe Annual Meeting, Lund, Sweden.
  • McComas, K. (2022, October). Influencing human behavior towards bears through risk communication. Featured presentation at the 6th International Human Bear Conflict Workshop, Lake Tahoe, NV.
  • McComas, K., Cousse, J., Balog-Way, D., Lambert, C., & Trutnevyte, E. (2022, December). Repurposing “dirty technologies” for “clean” energy development: The case of enhanced geothermal systems. Paper presented at the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL.
  • Cousse, J., McComas, K. Balog-Way, D., Lambert, C., & Trutnevyte, E. (2022, December). How do beliefs about tampering with nature influence perceptions of enhanced geothermal systems in Switzerland and the United States? Paper presented at the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL.
  • Leong, A., McComas, K., & Balog-Way, D. (2022, December). Exploring the role of social norms on information, seeking, sharing, and discussion. Poster presented at the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL.
  • Cousse, J., McComas, K., Lambert, C. Balog-Way, D., Y Trutnevyte, E. (2022, June). Tell me how you feel about Enhanced Geothermal Systems and why: A cross-national study. Paper presented at the Third International Conference on Energy Research and Social Science. Manchester, UK.
  • Holley, J., Lambert, C., McComas, K., Snider, N., & Tucker, G., (2020, December). Place attachment and affect: The case of flood risk in Louisiana. Paper presented at the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting. (online only)
  • Lambert, C., Holley, J., McComas, K., Snider, N., & Tucker, G., (2020, December). “It’s bigger than us”: Feelings of inevitable risk associated with coastal land loss in southern Louisiana. Paper presented at the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting. (online only)
  • Lu, H, Song, H, & McComas, KA. (2020, August). Seeking information about an emerging technology: Fairness, uncertainty, systematic processing, and information engagement intentions. Presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication annual meeting. Top four faculty paper award. (online only)
  • Excellence in Risk Communication Research and Practice, Society for Risk Analysis Risk Communication Specialty Group, 2022
  • President, Society for Risk Analysis, 2018-2019
  • SUNY Chancellors Award for Excellence in Faculty Service, 2017
  • Elected Fellow, Society for Risk Analysis, 2014

Katherine in the news