Climate Change and the Individual
Project Guideline
Climate change is a defining global challenge with direct impacts on individuals, communities, and societies. This project invites you to explore the theme “Climate Change and the Individual” through research, analysis, and critical reflection.
Project topics should focus on individual and societal responses such as climate actions, advocacy, awareness, and outreach. For further inspiration, consider the problems and possibilities identified in the 2025–26 Common Read.
Team Formation and Scope
- Each project team will consist of three students.
- Teams must formulate a clear and compelling research question.
- Projects may be theoretical, empirical, or a blend of both.
- For empirical work, proposed datasets must receive prior approval from Byeong-Hak Choe.
Proposal Expectations
Your team’s proposal should demonstrate critical engagement with a climate change issue by:
- Explaining the central dilemma or challenge facing society.
- Identifying the key questions that must be addressed to develop workable solutions, including any trade-offs between competing objectives.
- Presenting relevant evidence that highlights the competing interests involved.
- Formulating policy recommendations that logically follow from your analysis.
Evaluation Criteria
Projects will be assessed based on:
- Clarity and originality of the research question
- Effectiveness of the oral presentation
- Depth of the economic analysis
- Quality of the modeling or empirical analysis
- Contribution to peer evaluation of classmates’ presentations
Note: Any changes to team membership or research topic require prior approval from Byeong-Hak Choe.
Additional Opportunity
Teams are strongly encouraged to submit their work to the campus-wide Ideas that Matter Student Challenge in Spring 2026. This competition shares the same theme, Climate Change and the Individual, providing an opportunity to showcase your research to a broader audience.