• Charles Sturt academics lead research team investigating effects of climate change and ecological loss on STEMM professionals
• The research team is calling on participants for a survey
• The survey closes Friday 19 April

A group of female researchers, including Charles Sturt University academics, are investigating if those tasked with combating climate change and ecological loss are impacted by feelings of climate anxiety and ecological grief (eco-grief).

The threat of climate change is continuing to depend on science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) for new discoveries.

Senior Lecturer in Environmental Management in the Charles Sturt School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences Dr Alexandra Knight (pictured, left) and Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment Adjunct Research Associate Ms Jessica Leck (pictured, right) are leading research aiming to determine if STEMM professionals and researchers are impacted by feelings of climate anxiety and, if so, what is the extent of the impact on their lives and careers.

In the context of this research, climate anxiety is the heightened distress in response to dangerous changes in the climate and its impacts on the environment and human existence. Eco grief is a feeling of despair, loss, helplessness and grief in response to destructions of ecosystems.

Climate anxiety is not recognised as a clinical diagnosis, but it is acknowledged as a psychological response to climate change, while eco grief is considered a natural response to loss.

The study is conducted by seven STEMM women connected by the global leadership initiative Homeward Bound Projects.

Dr Knight and Ms Leck are joined by Ms Georgia Watson from the University of Wollongong, Dr Helen McGuire from the University of Sydney, Dr Susi Seibt and Dr Charis Teh, both from the University of Melbourne, and Dr Katharina Fabricius from the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Dr Knight is inviting all members of the STEMM community to be heard by completing a survey that will help the research team form valuable conclusions.

“We are interested to hear if climate anxiety and/or eco-grief has manifested in participants’ lives, careers or ability to achieve their goals. We are also interested if it hasn’t,” she said.

“We are interested in the coping strategies people employ, and the impacts and/or effectiveness of these.

“We want to empower participants to better understand their own responses while better understanding this social element of the climate emergency.”

The world briefly reached the two-degree rise that has been predicted for years, a moment Ms Leck said was ‘heartbreaking’ for her.

She experienced feelings of failure as an environmentalist.

“Around this time, I made some big career decisions, stepping out of a position with greater influence in order to pursue more joy in my work,” she said.

“Looking back, this seems like a clear example of how coping with eco-grief in my life may have lasting impacts on my potential to contribute to the solutions our humanity needs.”

Dr McGuire said the research team is hoping to garner a broader understanding for their research from the survey.

“With this work, we hope to acknowledge the potential emotional toll of eco-grief and climate anxiety, provide the community with the vocabulary to understand the phenomena as well as highlight resources for coping mechanisms and ways to seek support,” she said.

“A triggering issue for those of us in medical science is the profound reliance on single use plastics in our laboratories, a conversation we need to have.”

The survey closes on Friday 19 April and will take up to 15 minutes to complete. The survey can be completed via an online link or by scanning the QR code.