Research

For the past ten years, my research has focused on plastic marine debris and climate change policy. My first article examined the policy fallout that resulted from journalists who appropriated the misleading metaphors “garbage patch” and “trash island” to describe the accumulation of plastic particles in the world’s five oceanic article. My second article focused on the misdirected individualistic solutions advocated by american journalists. The issue of marine debris has become popularized by the news media and lifestyle brands within the last few years, but I hope my research instigates a more critical and evidence based discussion of policy-driven initiatives that drive industry solutions.

I currently work as a graduate research assistant in climate science policy and political communication at the University of Hamburg in Germany.