Faculty Profile
Heather Plumridge Bedi
(she/her/hers)Associate Professor of Environmental Studies (2014)
Contact Information
Kaufman Hall Room 110
717-254-8168
Bio
Dr. Heather Plumridge Bedi's interdisciplinary social science research examines human-environmental injustices linked to climate change, the energy transition, and land grabbing. She researches issues across various scales. Dr. Plumridge Bedi analyzes the local development and economic costs of environmental change and evaluates related policies and activism. One current project investigates climate change policy, municipal renewable energy adoption, and how Colorado promotes agrivoltaics. Globally, she examines climate governance and assesses how India uses solar diplomacy to extend its soft power. Her climate diplomacy and governance work links local and global efforts, incorporating policy, sustainable development, and livelihood impacts. Grant funding currently supports her collaborative project with a non-profit to expand residents' access to New York state climate policy programs. Her research has been funded by the Fulbright Program, the Cambridge Political Economy Society Trust, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the UK-India Education Research Initiative, the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, and Mellon Foundation grants at °µÍø½ûÇø. Dr. Plumridge Bedi received the American Association of Geographers Harm de Blij Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. She is a Research Affiliate at the University of Colorado Boulder, Environment & Society Program and the Center for the Governance of Natural Resources.
Education
- B.A., Occidental College, 2000
- M.S., University of Michigan, 2002
- Ph.D., University of Cambridge, 2012
2025-2026 Academic Year
Fall 2025
ENST 161 Environmental Connections
This introductory environmental studies course draws from the influences of the humanities and natural sciences on the social sciences in relation to the environment. The course will examine the ideas, concepts, and debates central to the field. Students will examine the relationship between humans and the environment and become familiar with a range of environmental challenges, with an emphasis on how these challenges have emerged over time and space. The course will investigate and evaluate a variety of strategies that are currently being pursued to address these environmental challenges. The course stresses the importance of “seeing connections”, thinking carefully and critically about environmental issues, and appreciating that complex questions rarely have a single solution. This is an introductory course for those majoring in environmental studies and environmental science. Non-majors should enroll in ENST 121 Introduction to Environmental Science. This course has no laboratory section.
Spring 2026
ENST 303 Climate Advocacy
Diverse climate justice advocates raise their voices, engage in activism, protect natural resources, practice low-carbon living, lobby for climate legislation, promote environmentally friendly technology, educate the public, participate in citizen science, rally for sustainable policy solutions, support climate-impacted communities, and engage in other forms of advocacy. These acts allow advocates to work towards socially just and sustainable forms of protecting the Earth from climate change. Students in this interactive course will examine distinct forms of climate advocacy, understanding how and why distinct changemakers champion to protect the Earth. Large portions of the course will focus on Indigenous Ways of Being climate work and food-related climate advocacy. Students will engage in their chosen form of climate advocacy and will create a digital storytelling piece.
ENST 406 Env Innov & Activism Capstone
Innovative approaches are needed to address urgent environmental and social concerns, including the climate crisis. As a capstone in Environmental Studies and Science, this course will examine environmental challenges, innovations, and activism from natural science, social science, and humanities perspectives. Following a review of key course concepts, the group will explore how diverse actors, groups, and governments approach environmental innovations and activism. Students will each select an environmental challenge and examine related innovations or activism for their capstone project. These student topics will frame the focal areas for course case studies and will allow the class to examine how a range of stakeholders attempt to contest and address pressing environmental issues.