Jennifer W. Atkinson

Dr. Jennifer W. Atkinson is a climate educator and researcher at the University of Washington Bothell, specializing in the psychological impacts of climate change. She teaches courses on eco-anxiety and climate grief, helping students and communities develop emotional resilience strategies to sustain climate action engagement.

Her research focuses on Climate Psychology, Environmental Mental Health, and Climate Change Education, with particular emphasis on Eco-Grief and Climate Anxiety. Through her work, she bridges environmental science and mental health, advocating for emotional resilience as critical infrastructure alongside physical climate solutions. Her approach transforms despair into actionable hope through community-based pedagogy.

Dr. Atkinson has established herself as a leading voice in climate mental health through extensive media engagement with NPR, National Geographic, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Her public scholarship demonstrates how acknowledging ecological loss can empower sustained climate engagement rather than paralysis.