Jeffrey Swofford
PhD Candidate, Sustainability, School of Sustainability
School of Sustainability
Arizona State University
PO Box 875502
Tempe, AZ 85287-5502
Titles
- PhD Candidate, Sustainability, School of Sustainability
Biography
Jeffrey Swofford is a doctoral candidate in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. As a sustainability social scientist his dissertation research examines how climate change scholars function and cope in a ‘wicked problem occupation’ in the context of political contestation. Specifically, Jeffrey’s research integrates social psychology, occupational identity, and sustainability scholarship to explore how climate scholars engage in an overwhelming problem that as individuals they can never fully understand or solve. More broadly, Jeffrey adopts an interdisciplinary and problem-focused approach to research and teaching in areas such as the human dimensions of sustainability, the social psychology of climate change, climate and energy policy, sustainable energy development, renewable energy landscapes, and science activism. Jeffrey earned an MS in environmental sciences from the Institute for Environmental Studies at Texas Christian University and BS in environmental studies from the College of Geosciences at Texas A&M University. Previously he worked as a researcher and project lead at Ecova, an energy and sustainability firm. As a doctoral candidate (ABD), Jeffrey is currently searching for job opportunities for the 2020 academic year.
Education
- MS, Environmental Science, Texas Christian University, 2009
- BS, Environmental Studies (minors in geography and earth sciences), Texas A&M University, 2007
Expertise
- climate change and adaptation
- environmental attitudes
- human dimensions of climate change
- sustainable energy development
- sustainability discourse
- social psychology
- human geography
- occupational identity
- science advocacy
External Links
Journal Articles
2012
Slattery, M. C., B. L. Johnson, J. A. Swofford and M. J. Pasqualetti. 2012. The predominance of economic development in the support for large-scale wind farms in the U.S. Great Plains. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16(6):3690-3701. DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2012.03.016. (link )
2010
Swofford, J. and M. Slattery. 2010. Public attitudes of wind energy in Texas: Local communities in close proximity to wind farms and their effect on decision-making. Energy Policy 38(5):2508-2519. DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2009.12.046. (link )
Books
2009
Slattery, M. C., E. Householder, S. Eady, L. Newland, J. Swofford, M. Dezendorf, A. Schipmann and T. Ruhbenstahl. 2009. Exercises in Environmental Science. Kendall Hunt. Dubuque, IA.
Posters
2019
Swofford, J. A. 2019. If science is under threat, is it part of your job as a scientist to advocate for protecting it? Exploring scholar advocacy during the March for Science and People’s Climate March. Poster presented at the Graduate Student Poster Conference, April 24, 2019, Institute for Social Science Research, Arizona State University, Tempe.
2009
Swofford, J. A. 2009. Social perceptions of wind energy in Texas. Poster presented at the Student Research Symposium, College of Science & Engineering, April 17, 2009, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX.
Presentations
2020
Swofford, J. A. 2020. Maintaining a positive occupational identity while working on wicked problems: Lessons from climate change scholars. Presentation at the American Association of Geographers, April 6-10, 2020, Denver, CO. (link )
2019
Swofford, J. A. 2019. Our identity and engagement beyond the laboratory: exploring scholar advocacy during the March for Science and People’s Climate March. Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Environmental Studies & Sciences, June 2-23, 2019, American University, Washington DC.
2018
Swofford, J. A. 2018. Beyond the laboratory: Exploring scholar activism and occupational identity during the March for Science and People’s Climate March. Presentation at the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, Apeil 10-14, 2018, New Orleans, LA. (link )
2017
Swofford, J. A. 2017. When the end of human civilization is your day job: Exploring how climate change scientists identify and cope with their professional work. Presentation at the American Association of Geographers, April 5-9, 2017, Boston, MA. (link )
Swofford, J. A. 2017. When the end of human civilization is your day job: How climate change scientists identify and cope with their profession. Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Environmental Studies & Sciences, June 21-24, 2017, University of Arizona, Tucson.
Swofford, J. A. 2017. When the end of the world is your day job: Exploring how climate change scientists identify and cope with their professional work. Presentation at the Climate, Justice & Environment Workshop (invited), February 10, 2017, University of Arizona, Tucson.
2016
Milkoreit, M., J. A. Swofford, D. Bodansky and S. Klinsky. 2016. Case Critical: Postcards from Paris. Presentation at the Case Critical Lecture, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability (panelist), January 20, 2016, Arizona State University, Tempe. (link )
Swofford, J. A. 2016. Is this how you feel? Exploring the emotional dimensions of international climate change politics. Presentation at the Climate Change Seminar for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (invited), April 8, 2016, Arizona State University, Tempe.
Swofford, J. A. 2016. Is this how you feel? Exploring the emotional dimensions of international cllimate change policies. Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Geographers, 1 April 2016, San Francisco, California.
Swofford, J. A. 2016. Road to COP22: From Paris to Marrakesh. Presentation at the COP22@ASU Event, Honor Society for Sustainability (invited), November 14, 2016, Arizona State University, Tempe.
2012
Swofford, J. 2012. Power scaling in proportion to data processing in today's multimedia devices. Presentation at the World Sustainable Energy Days 2012: WSED Next!, 29 February 2012, Wels, Austria. (link )
2010
Richards, B. and J. A. Swofford. 2010. Socioeconomic implications of the wind industry in Texas: A case study of Nolan and Taylor Counties. Presentation at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, 14-18 April 2010, Washington, DC. (link )
Swofford, J. 2010. Energy policy in a battery charger world. Presentation at the Battery Power, 20 October 2010, Dallas, TX.
2009
Swofford, J. A. 2009. Social perceptions of wind energy in Texas. Presentation at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, 22-27 March 2009, Las Vegas, NV. (link )
Swofford, J. A. 2009. The TCU-Oxford-NextEra Energy Resources Wind Research Initiative. Presentation at the Graduate Student Senate Lecture Series (invited), February 17, 2019, Texas Christan University, Fort Worth, TX.
Conference Papers
2015
Dzebo, A., M. Grubb, S. Klinsky, R. Mittal, A. Sagar, D. Shabalala and J. A. Swofford. 2015. New Research for Effective Action at Paris and Beyond: Global Climate Policy Conference 2015. Global Climate Policy Conference 2015. New Dehli. (link )
2014
Spak, B., S. Levine and J. A. Swofford. 2014. Lessons from the stimulus: The past and potential future impacts of federal policy on utility rate structures. 2014 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. The Next Generation: Reaching for High Energy Savings. Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California. (link )
Spak, B., S. Levine and J. Swofford. 2014. Lessons from the stimulus: The past and potential future impacts of federal policy on utility rate structures. Pp. 6-273-6-285 The Next Generation: Reaching for High Energy Savings. 2014 American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. Pacific Grove, California. (link )
2012
Foster Porter, S., C. Calwell, J. Swofford, P. Walters, D. Denkenberger and E. Lighthiser. 2012. Capturing plug load energy savings with a wide net: Horizontal policy lessons learned and future opportunities. Pp. 9-115-9126 Fueling our Future with Efficiency. 2012 American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings in Pacific Grove, California. (link )
Hardy, G., A. Phillips, D. Driscoll, P. Walters and J. Swofford. 2012. Pay-television in-home equipment: National energy consumption, savings potential, and policy barriers and opportunities. Pp. 9-164-9-176 Fueling our Future with Efficiency. 2012 American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings in Pacific Grove, California. (link )
Dissertation Fellowship, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, 2019
Fellowship, Graduate College, Arizona State University, 2018
Love of Learning Award, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, 2018
Completion Fellowship, Graduate College, Arizona State University, 2018
Graduate Research Opportunities, Worldwide Program (Sweden), National Science Foundation, 2017
Research Grant, Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsradet), 2017
Love of Learning Award, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, 2016
Travel Grant, Environmental Perception and Behavioral Geography Speciality Group, American Association of Geographers, 2016
JumpStart Research Grant, Graduate & Professional Student Association, Arizona State University, 2016
Travel Grant, Graduate College, Arizona State University, 2015
Travel Grant, Graduate Student Association, Arizona State University, 2015
Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation, 2015
Champion of Energy Efficiency Award (team), ENGIE Insight (Ecova) Research and Policy Group, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, 2012
Unparalleled People Pillar Award (company-wide award), Ecova, 2010
Travel Grant, Associate Provost of University Programs, Texas Christian University, 2008