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The Centre for Decision Research welcomes Astrid Kause to the team

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Astrid Kause has recently joined Leeds University Business School, the Centre for Decision Research, and the Priestley Centre for Climate as a new postdoc working on climate change communications. She is working in collaboration with Professor Wandi Bruine de Bruin (the Business School), Professor Suraje Dessai (School of Earth and Environment), and Dr Andrea Taylor (both the Business School and School of Earth and Environment).

Her research will combine insights from behavioural decision research and environmental science to understand and inform people's decisions about climate change. For example, she is presently developing a project that aims to help consumers to make more climate-friendly decisions about food. Currently, many consumers are motivated to behave more ‘green’ and to even spend more money, for example on food. They lack however simple and concrete tools to help them make more climate-friendly choices. Although climate experts have various recommendations for making climate-friendly food choices, it remains unclear which are the most effective and easiest for consumers to implement.

Astrid received her PhD from the University of Konstanz in Germany, and has also worked at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development (Germany) and the Santa Fe Institute (US).

CDR Co-Director Wandi Bruine de Bruin comments: “Astrid is an expert in developing simple strategies (or rules of thumb) that promote 'fast and frugal' decision making. Indeed, good decision making does not have to be time-consuming or complex, if you apply simple strategies. Astrid's research will help motivate 'green' consumers to be more climate-friendly without complicating their choices.”

Astrid comments: “In the Centre for Decision Research and the Priestly Centre I have found the perfect place to do my research – this environment is ideal for pursuing my overall research goal to help individuals make better informed decisions in the face of climate change. This includes transparent communications of climate evidence and developing a very simple toolbox with strategies helping us to substantially lower our carbon footprints. I am sure that my fascinating and exciting first days in Leeds are only the beginning of what will be a long and productive journey in a friendly, welcoming and very supportive team of colleagues.”