Produced by KSQD 90.7FM


This is a game changer. Many people still believe that the transition to a green economy will involve high costs and fewer choices, but we are finding that the opposite can be the case.


Our first guest, Joseph Majkut, will discuss what that unexciting word, “infrastructure,” will really be leading to more exciting action and projects throughout the United States in President Biden’s infrastructure bill. He will talk about specific examples such as electricity transmission, resilient infrastructure, and EVs. As the President said, “This is no time to build back to the way things were. This is the moment to reimagine and rebuild a new economy.”


Our second guest joining the discussion will be David Richardson, who will talk about his PhD dissertation research that focuses on attitude formation and persuasive messaging, specifically relating to attitudes about public policy issues. His dissertation uses psychological distancing and construal level (a way a person understands the world or particular situation) as a lens for examining how we can improve environmental attitudes to increase support for policies designed to overcome the climate crisis.


Interview Guest Bios:


Joseph Majkut is director of climate policy at the Niskanen Center, where his group works to better characterize the risks of climate change and promote market-based climate solutions. He is an expert in climate science, climate policy, and risk and uncertainty analysis for decision making. Majkut is frequently cited by the top climate trade publications and is also routinely featured in outlets including: the Washington Post, the New York Times, Bloomberg, Axios, The Atlantic, and Vice News. Majkut has also testified before Congress on climate and scientific research.


Before joining the Niskanen Center, he worked on climate change policy in Congress as a congressional science fellow, supported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He holds a PhD from Princeton University in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College.


David Richardson is dedicated to promoting positive social change through effective, research-based communication. In dual roles as the Senior Manager for Webinars and Digital Events at Walden University and the owner and chief consultant of Richardson Applied Research, David fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to raise awareness of important public policy issues and drive meaningful conversations about those topics.