Contact Information

jkotcher@gmu.edu

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John Kotcher

Director

John Kotcher, Ph.D. is a Research Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University. He leads a dynamic team of faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students dedicated to exploring effective strategies for communicating about climate change and air pollution. Together, their work empowers organizations to engage and activate citizens in shaping our society’s response to these important issues.

Dr. Kotcher is also a co-PI on the Climate Change in the American Mind project, a series of national public opinion surveys carried out in partnership with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication to investigate and track public attitudes toward climate change and support for climate policies in the United States.

Dr. Kotcher has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed articles on climate change communication. His research has appeared in journals such as The Lancet Planetary Health, The BMJ (British Medical Journal), Nature Climate Change, and Environmental Communication. His research has also been featured in leading news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and The Atlantic.

Selected Publications

Kotcher, J., Patel, L., Wheat, S., Philipsborn, R., & Maibach, E. (2024). How to communicate about climate change with patients. BMJ, 385, e079831. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2024-079831

Kotcher, J., Luong, K., Charles, J., Gould, R., & Maibach, E. (2023). Calling attention to opponents of climate action in climate and health messaging. The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(11), e938–e946. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00217-6

Campbell, E., Uppalapati, S. S., Kotcher, J., & Maibach, E. (2022). Communication research to improve engagement with climate change and human health: A review. Frontiers in Public Health, 10.

Kotcher, J., Feldman, L., Luong, K. T., Wyatt, J., & Maibach, E. (2021). Advocacy messages about climate and health are more effective when they include information about risks, solutions, and a normative appeal: Evidence from a conjoint experiment. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 100030.

Kotcher, J., Maibach, E., Miller, J., Campbell, E., Alqodmani, L., Maiero, M., & Wyns, A. (2021). Views of health professionals on climate change and health: a multinational survey study. The Lancet Planetary Health.

Kotcher, J.E., Maibach, E., Montoro, M., & Hassol, S. J. (2018). How Americans Respond to Information About Global Warming’s Health Impacts: Evidence From a National Survey Experiment. GeoHealth, 2(9), 262-275. doi: 10.1029/2018GH000154

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