Social and Environmental Research Institute (SERI) Social and Environmental Research Institute Researching discursive approaches to policy and social relations to the environment and the practical gains provided by theory to realize concrete benefits to individuals society and the environment News and Announcements Research Themes Public Participation and Decision Making The Institute conducts research on public participation in environmental and risk assessment and decisionmaking at all stages of policy processes including design research decision making implementation and evaluation. Climate Change and Environmental Change Driving Forces Vulnerability Mitigation and Adaptation The Institutes research related to climate change investigates driving forces vulnerability mitigation and adaptation. Our research on environmental change has touched on a variety of policy domains including management of coastal ecosystems marine fisheries and aquaculture and wildland fire. Current and Featured Projects Public responses to climate policy instruments Modeling effects of policy responses to climate change on food energy and water systems A structured process to support climate adaptation planning Human Dimensions of Risk and Environment The Institutes research on the human dimensions of risk explores the ways that social and institutional factors affect the risks from hazardous technologies.