Research

Peer Reviewed Publications

Molder, A.L., Calice, M.N. (2023). What do extreme weather events say about climate change? A comparison of U.S. wildfire and hurricane news coverage. Environmental Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2023.2190495

Molder, A.L., Lakind, A., Clemmons, Z., Chen, K. (2022). Framing the global youth climate movement: A qualitative content analysis of Greta Thunberg’s moral, hopeful and motivational framing on Instagram. The International Journal of Press/Politics. https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612211055691

Abrams, K.M., Molder, A.L, Nankey, P., & Leong, K. M. (2023). Encouraging respectful wildlife viewing among tourists: Roles for social marketing, regulatory information, symbolic barriers, and enforcement. Social Marketing Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/15245004231153085 

Chen, K., Molder, A.L., Duan, Z., Boulianne, S., Eckart, C., Mallari, P., Yang, D. (2022). How Climate Movement Actors and News Media Frame Climate Change and Strike: Evidence from Analyzing Twitter and News Media Discourse from 2018-2021. The International Journal of Press/Politics. https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612221106405

Li, N., Molder, A. L., & Yang, S. (2022). The effect of visual representations of SARS-Cov-2 on the U.S. public’s fear and disgust. Health Science Reports. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.496

Li, N., & Molder, A. L. (2021). Can scientists use simple infographics to convince? Effects of the “flatten the curve” charts on perceptions of and behavioral intentions toward social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: Public Understanding of Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625211038719

RESEARCH POSITIONS

NSF Funded Research

I am a research project assistant on the project “Collaborative Research: A new model for producing science documentaries: Building collaborations between scientists and storytellers to test methods of communication in film”. With partners at the film production company Wonder Collaborative, we received National Science Foundation (NSF) support (Award # AISL-2006010; PIs: Sarah Goodwin & Dietram Scheufele), $500,000.  We’re using an iterative research process in film production and design to experiment with ways of communicating complex science & social issues with diverse audiences.

Learn more about this research.

Learn more about the film on CRISPR human gene editing, Human Nature.

NOAA & NPS Funded Research

I was a graduate research assistant from 2019 – 2020 on two federally funded projects: “Testing a Social Marketing Approach to Encourage Respectful Sea Turtle Viewing in Hawaii” which received funding from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

The research “Adaptable Communication Strategies and Messages to Prevent Unintentional Wildlife Feeding in National Parks” funded by the NPS (National Park Service). The PI for both projects is Dr. Katie Abrams, PhD.

Learn more about the NOAA communication campaign: Amazing from Afar

SELECT CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

International Communication Association (ICA), 2022

Molder A.L., Howell, E.L., DeSalazar, M., Kirschner, E., Goodwin, S.S., Scheufele, D.A. (2022, May 26-30). Reaching beyond the proverbial choir: Examining the impact of science documentaries and representations of scientists to engage with underserved audiences. [Panel presentation]. International Communication Association (ICA) 2022 conference, Paris, France.

Conference on Communicating the Environment, 2021

Molder, A.L. (2021, June 21-24). Do memes that use mockery and adversarial framing increase online engagement with climate change? Examining climate change meme accounts on Instagram. [Conference presentation]. Conference on Communicating the Environment (COCE) from the International Environmental Communication Association (IECA), virtual.

Society for Risk Analysis (SRA), 2021

Molder, A.L., Calice, M.N. (2021, December 5-9).Can fires focus our attention on climate change? A comparative analysis of wildfire news coverage in Australia and California. [Conference presentation]. Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) 2021, virtual.

IPRRC, 2020

Molder, A.L, Clemmons, Z. (2020, March 3-5). Framing Climate Change on Instagram and the Effects of Identity and Self-Efficacy on Environmental Communication. Presented at the International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC) in Orlando, Florida.

School of Communication Top Student Paper Award

AFFILIATIONS AND LEADERSHIP

  • Graduate Student Affiliate, Center for Culture, History and Environment (CHE), UW-Madison
  • Research group member: Science, Media and the Public (SCIMEP), UW-Madison
  • TAA Graduate Student Union Member, UW-Madison
  • Graduate Student Committee Member: AEJMC – ComSHER (Communicating Science, Health, Environment and Risk) Division
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Graduate Student Group – Department of Life Sciences Communication, UW-Madison
  • Content Analysis Research Group (CARG) – Department of Life Sciences Communication, UW-Madison
  • Member: International Environmental Communication Association (IECA)
  • Climate Reality Leader: The Climate Reality Project