Thomas Dietz

Thomas Dietz is a Professor of Sociology and Environmental Science and Policy at Michigan State University, affiliated with the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (CSIS). His work spans sociology, environmental policy, and sustainability science, with a strong emphasis on human dimensions of global environmental change.

His research centers on the social and psychological drivers of environmental behavior, environmental decision-making, and the interplay between scientific knowledge and societal values. Key areas include:

• Social psychology of environmental choices
• Human well-being and environmental change
• Integration of individual and collective decision models
• Role of values in climate policy

The available article reflects a strong focus on synthesizing behavioral traditions—rational actor models, heuristics and biases, and social psychology—to understand climate-related decisions. A major theme is advancing integrated frameworks for collective decision-making amid scientific and value-based uncertainties.

He has received significant recognition, including:

• Sustainability Science Award, Ecological Society of America

Dietz has held leadership roles in national science policy, having chaired the U.S. National Research Council Committee on Human Dimensions of Global Change and served as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Advancing the Science of Climate Change. While no formal students or grants are listed, his advisory and collaborative influence is evident through his institutional leadership and interdisciplinary research. He is actively engaged in major academic and policy discussions on climate and cognition, as seen in his participation in the ISC Summer School 2021.