Salil D. Benegal

Salil D. Benegal is the Joseph B. Board Assistant Professor of Environmental Policy in the Department of Political Science at Union College. His research focuses on climate change policy, environmental public opinion, and the intersection of race, science communication, and political psychology. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and M.A. in Economics from the University of Connecticut, and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Illinois Institute of Technology.

Benegal's research analyzes how economic frames, racial attitudes, and partisan divides shape environmental opinions. His work examines climate policy support mechanisms, misinformation correction techniques, and the psychological underpinnings of climate denial. Recent publications explore pandemic impacts on scientific trust, racial animus in belief formation, and economic framing of renewable energy.

In teaching, he covers US Environmental Policy, Climate Change Politics, Energy Policy, and Research Methods. He has received grants from DePauw University's Asher Fund and participated in NSF-funded projects at UConn's Brain Imaging Research Center.