Summer Gray

Summer Gray is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Her research focuses on climate justice, critical adaptation studies, and disaster studies, examining social and historical factors influencing climate adaptation disparities. She is the author of *In the Shadow of the Seawall*, which critiques coastal adaptation strategies and introduces the concept of placekeeping. Gray employs qualitative methodologies and cinematic sociology to document environmental injustices, collaborating with activists and scholars globally.

Education:

• Ph.D., Sociology, UCSB
• M.A., Sociology, UCSB
• B.A., Science, Technology, and Society, Pomona College

Research Interests:

• Climate Justice Movements
• Critical Infrastructure Studies
• Coastal Inequities
• Disaster Recovery and Resilience

Her work bridges sociology and environmental science, emphasizing colonial legacies and frontline communities.

Labs/Teams: Collaborations include the Mellon-Sawyer Seminar on Sea Change and the UCSB Carsey-Wolf Center’s Coastal Media Project.