A ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ researcher has been awarded more than €600,000 to investigate how the media can develop the ways it communicates to the public on issues of climate change.
Dr Sarah Schaefer, School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ, has received the funding through the Research Ireland Pathway Programme.
A total of 36 projects in early career researchers.
Making the announcement, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD said: â¶ÄœThis investment, through Research Ireland’s Pathway programme, will support emerging researchers in their journey from postdoctoral work towards establishing themselves as independent investigators. The projects receiving funding span a broad range of disciplines, ensuring a broad impact on scientific discovery and societal progress. By aligning with Ireland’s national research priorities, these projects will help drive advancements in key sectors such as healthcare, environmental sustainability, history and education.â€
Dr Schaefer’s project examines how journalists reporting on climate issues try to engage with and inform about the topic of climate protection. Traditionally climate journalism aims to inform and warn audiences about climate change and promote ways of mitigating global warming especially in view of the increasing severity of weather events and unprecedented meteorological extremes.
These efforts have so far, however, shown too little effect, and European broadcasters are frequently criticised for their human-centred coverage and misrepresentations of climate change.
Despite this criticism, there is a significant lack of knowledge about the interrelation between anthropocentric discourses and transmodal (i.e. linguistic and semiotic) reporting practices of radio journalists in climate coverage.
In this context, it sheds light on issues that lead to misrepresentations of climate change in Irish and German media to foster a meaningful engagement of journalists with climate change.
This project will explore this and develop new approaches for climate-oriented communication based on posthumanist sociolinguistic perspectives, which challenge traditional human-centered views.
Commenting on the awards, Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO, Research Ireland, said “Our Pathway programme equips promising researchers with the resources needed to reach the next level and help drive impactful discoveries. These projects will contribute valuable insights into pressing global and national issues including public health policy, digital well-being, technological advancements, healthcare and more.â€
The funding, covering a four-year period, will support researchers and provide resources to establish independent research careers. This targeted investment will provide each project with additional support for a postgraduate student who will be primarily supervised by the awardee.
Co-funders of the programme include EPA, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Met Éireann.
