Dara Wald of Texas A&M named 2024 Carnegie Fellow

Dr. Dara Wald has been named a member of the 2024 class of the Andrew Carnegie Fellows program by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Wald is a tenured associate professor at the Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications. She is also a research fellow at the Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy.

“This is a momentous honor for Dr. Wald,” said Texas A&M University Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Alan Sams. “The Carnegie Fellowship is one of the most prestigious grants for scholars in the humanities and social sciences, and we are very proud of its work. Her research clearly demonstrates a relevant and pioneering area of ​​research with profound implications for practice. It is a remarkable and well-deserved honor.”

Wald is one of 28 distinguished scientists selected from more than 360 nominations for the honor. According to the Carnegie Corporation, each winner will receive up to $200,000 for research that seeks to understand how and why society has become polarized and how it can leverage the forces of cohesion to strengthen democracy.

Wald was sitting at her desk on a Friday when she received the email.

“I was completely shocked,” she said. “This time of year is such an intense time for academics. The semester is coming to an end and everyone is tired. It’s exciting to hear this news, especially at this time of year. I am very excited about the opportunities this creates for my research program.”

Wald’s work demonstrates the value and necessity of interdisciplinary scholarship to address polarized perspectives on agricultural and environmental issues.

“The importance of Dr.’s work Wald cannot be overstated,” says Dr. Jeffrey W. Savell, Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Her ongoing research engages public conversations in the agricultural, life and environmental sciences, opening an important dialogue about public perception of complex scientific issues.”

Award will continue Wald’s research

The Carnegie Fellowship award will allow Wald to delve deeper into the questions she and her team asked as part of her National Science Foundation-funded Faculty Early Career Development Program award on public perception of science and place-based conservation. Wald’s research highlights critical areas such as trust, credibility, and collaboration in the natural resources context.

“Dr. Wald’s work asks essential questions about how scientists can build trust and emphasize their commitment to the common good,” said Dr. Matt Baker, Head of the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications. “These questions are critical to our understanding of public perception of science and policy.”

Wald’s research aims to maximize the benefits of scientific discoveries for people and the environment. She does this by examining the causes and consequences of conflict and cooperation over natural resources and identifying effective communication strategies. Her research also examines how public perceptions of science shape attitudes toward environmental and agricultural policies and programs.

“My research focuses on water, wildlife, land and energy,” she said. “These are basic things that we all need for life. Science can help us protect our communities from flooding, improve agricultural production and protect us from emerging health problems.”

However, Wald said if a community doesn’t get the information, or if the messages don’t reach or engage that community, science remains in an ivory tower.

“In general, people pay more attention to information from a credible source they have a relationship with,” she says. “But credibility means different things to different people. By understanding what credibility means to different audiences, we can help bridge the gap.”

In addition to diving deeper into her current research gathered from interviews with landowners, land managers and producers in rural areas, Wald said the award will allow her to expand this work to look at polarization over scientific credibility and a book proposal on that research to develop. Results.

“There is a need for ways to find common ground and act together as a force,” she said.

Tackling political polarization

The Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program was established in 2015 to support research in the humanities and social sciences. Last year it had 243 grants, representing a total investment of $48 million. Last year marked the start of a new program phase with the exclusive theme of political polarization in the US

“The fragility of American democracy has been exposed to a frightening degree in recent years,” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation in New York. “The driving force appears to be the increasing polarization of American politics and, by extension, American society. We would like to understand this polarization, what causes it, what sustains it, and above all, how it can be mitigated or even reversed, by strengthening the forces of cohesion in our society.”

Through the Andrew Carnegie Fellows’ research, the company seeks to raise awareness of political polarization in the philanthropic sector, guide public policy, and help inform the foundation’s grantmaking in the areas of democracy, education, and international peace and security.