Elise L. Amel, has a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Purdue University and has been teaching at the University of St. Thomas for over two decades. She has co-authored an article in Science Magazine introducing a broad and diverse audience to the role of psychology in addressing environmental crises. She has co-authored an undergraduate textbook, Psychology for Sustainability (4th and 5th Editions). She is the founding director of the St. Thomas Office of Sustainability Initiatives, which runs the Sustainable Communities Partnership (SCP), linking St. Thomas courses across disciplines to city-identified, high-priority sustainability projects, advancing the common good by engaging students in real-world application of course content. She has also successfully led efforts at the University of St. Thomas to create a culture of sustainability leadership through systems-level changes including committing to carbon neutrality and fossil fuel divestment, embracing sustainability as a strategic priority, developing a strategic plan, and creating a system for integrating sustainability across the curriculum.
Elise L. Amel, PhD
Professor, Psychology
Chair, Department of Earth, Environment & Society
Founding Director, Office of Sustainability Initiatives
Areas of Expertise
Projects
Publications
Scott, B.A., Amel, E.L., Koger, S.M., & Manning, C.M. (2021). Psychology for Sustainability (5th Edition). Routledge: NY, NY.
Häger, A., Little, M., Amel, E. & Calderón, G. (2021). By wasting the coffee fruit, we waste opportunities”: Transformational experiences from a shade-grown coffee farm in Atenas, Costa Rica. Case Studies in the Environment.
Manning, C., Mangas, H., Amel, E., Tank, H., Humes, L., Foo, R. Sidlova, V., Cargos, K. (2018). Psychological distance and response to human versus non-human victims of climate change. In W. Leal Filho, R.W. Marans, & J. Callewaert (Eds.), Handbook of Sustainability and Social Science Research (pp.143-161). doi:10.1007/978-3-319-67122-2_8
Amel, E.L., Manning, C.M., Scott, B.A., & Koger, S.M. (2017). Beyond the roots of human inaction: Fostering collective effort toward ecosystem conservation. Science, 356, 275–279. doi: 10.1126/science.aal1931
Amel. E., Manning, C., Koger, S., Scott, B., & Ruedi, B. (2017). Can eco-leadership save the planet? AAAS/NSF Science in the Classroom Annotated Research Papers and Accompanying Teaching Materials. http://www.scienceintheclassroom.org/
Scott, B.A., Amel, E.L., & Manning, C.M. (2014). In and of the wilderness: Participation in nature as a form of ecological connectedness. Ecopsychology, 6(2), 81-91.
Manning, C.M., & Amel, E.L. (2014). No human left behind: Making a place for social and environmental justice within the field of Ecopsychology. Ecopsychology, 6(1), 14-15.
Amel, E.L., & Manning, C.M. (2012). Exploring the effectiveness of ecological principles as a method for integrating environmental content into psychology courses. Ecopsychology, 4(2), 127-136.
Manning, C.M., Amel, E.L., & Bock T.S. (2012). Environmental sustainability and introductory psychology: A natural partnership. Ecopsychology, 4(2), 122-126.
Manning, C.M., Amel, E. L., Forsman, J. W., & Scott, B. A. (2009). Framing climate change solutions: The importance of getting the numbers right. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 1(4), 326-339.
Amel, E.L., Manning, C.M., & Scott, B.A. (2009). Mindfulness and sustainable behavior: Pondering attention and awareness as means for being green. Ecopsychology, 1(1), 14-25.