2025 RFF and Harvard SRM Social Science Research Workshop: Governance in a Fractured World
This research workshop, cohosted by Resources for the Future and Harvard University, will explore recent and ongoing research on solar radiation modification.
Event Details
RFF's Solar Geoengineering Research Project and the Harvard Solar Geoengineering Research Program seek to improve our understanding of the risks, potential benefits, and other uncertain implications of solar radiation modification (SRM) as one approach among others to help address climate change risks.
On September 4–5, 2025, we are hosting this year's RFF and Harvard SRM Social Science Research Workshop, with a broad theme of "Governance in a Fractured World." This invitation-only event will take place at the RFF offices in Washington, DC.
This will be a research-oriented workshop on key social science questions related to SRM, designed to promote discussions and feedback on research. See below for information about how to submit a proposal to present at the workshop. Registration information to attend online for a limited number of non-presenting attendees will be made available soon.
If you have any questions about attending the workshop, please contact Tyler Felgenhauer ([email protected]) or Kristin Hayes ([email protected]). Stay tuned for the agenda and more information.
Submit a Presentation Proposal
For this workshop, we invite submissions for individuals to present new, recent, or ongoing social science-related research on SRM.
This year’s broad theme is “Governance in a Fractured World.” We are particularly interested in research submissions on this topic where we hope to create several themed sessions, but welcome other social science research on SRM more generally. We encourage relevant research presentation proposals from a wide range of scholars, drawing from social science disciplines (economics, political science, public policy, international relations, sociology, and anthropology) as well as the humanities (philosophy and ethics, among other fields). We highly encourage applications from researchers from less developed countries. We also welcome applications from doctoral students, early career scholars, and those who may be new to the topic area.
Proposed presentations may fall under a number of themes. A non-exhaustive list of examples includes:
- geopolitical, security, and related international implications and challenges arising from potential SRM;
- the moral hazard risk that may characterize how SRM influences individual and business responses to the risks of a changing climate, as well as for policymaker decision-making;
- analyses of political developments, policies, or emerging norms on SRM, whether global, regional, or national in scope;
- SRM within the climate change policy portfolio (with mitigation, CDR, and adaptation), and implications for design;
- proposals on international governance or institutional design for SRM;
- public attitudes, media coverage, or framing of SRM;
- integrating social science and physical sciences for an interdisciplinary representation of SRM strategies;
- policy implications of uncertainties in the physical impacts of SRM; and,
- integrating social science considerations into the next generation of SRM policy scenarios.
Proposal submissions are due by May 30, 2025. Each proposal will be reviewed by an interdisciplinary team of experts on the workshop organizing committee. We expect to finalize the agenda in late spring/early summer.
Some travel support is available for accepted presenters who may need such funding. If this applies, please indicate so in your application.
For questions contact Tyler Felgenhauer ([email protected]) or Kristin Hayes ([email protected]). Please feel free to advertise this call within your networks.
To apply, please fill out the form below:
