Phaedra C. Pezzullo

Phaedra C. Pezzullo is a Professor in the Department of Communication within the College of Communication, Media, Design & Information at the University of Colorado Boulder. She also holds affiliations as a Faculty Associate of Environmental Studies and Faculty Affiliate of both Ethnic Studies and Media Studies, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to environmental communication and justice.

Dr. Pezzullo's research focuses on environmental and climate justice studies, rhetorics of social movements, and environmental communication in public spheres. Her work bridges academic scholarship with public engagement, particularly through her concept of environmental communication as a care discipline rather than solely a crisis discipline. She examines how communities use storytelling, tours, and other communication practices to address environmental injustices.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on plastic pollution, care ethics in environmental contexts, climate justice communication, and the intersection of environmental issues with carceral systems. Her work increasingly focuses on networked cultures of care and how communities build resilience through communication practices.

• Tarla Rai Peterson top Book Award in Environmental Communication
• Diamond Anniversary Book Award
• Book of the Year Award in Critical and Cultural Studies
• Jane Jacobs Book Award from the Urban Communication Foundation

Dr. Pezzullo actively engages with numerous organizations including the American Bar Association, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, University Cooperation for Atmospheric Research, The Pulitzer Center, and the Sierra Club. She has been quoted in major media outlets including The Guardian, TIME, Los Angeles Times, Open Canada, and CNN Travel. She directs the Sustainability and Storytelling Lab and co-directs several initiatives including C3BC, the Just Transition Collaborative, Inside the Greenhouse, and the CU Boulder Graduate Certificate in Environmental Justice.