Abigail York
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Phone: 480-727-6889
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School of Human Evolution and Social Change BUILDING 274 TEMPE, AZ 85287
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Mail code: 2402Campus: Tempe
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Dr. Abigail York is a Professor of Governance and Public Policy and Director of Research at Arizona State University's School of Human Evolution and Social Change. She earned her PhD in Public Policy from Indiana University and has spent over two decades advancing research on the governance of social-ecological systems at local and global scales. With over $52 m in funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the United States Department of Agriculture (with approximately over $3.3 m in personal recognition), she has built large transdisciplinary teams focusing on collective action and polycentric governance of environmental challenges. In 75 peer-reviewed publications, York has explored climate change governance, urbanization and sustainability of cities, community forestry management in the USA and Nepal, fracking in Appalachia, agriculture and Western water issues in the USA, and, most recently, adaptation to sea ice change in the Arctic. Her team's Arctic research takes a co-generation of knowledge approach centering the knowledge and research priorities of local and Indigenous communities in Russia and Alaska to understand and adapt to rapid environmental change and shifting geopolitical contexts.
In 2024, York took on leadership of Global Environmental Change as co-editor-in-chief, a leading international journal advancing knowledge about human and policy dimensions with an impact factor of 8.6. York was also a Chapter Author for the Social Systems Chapter for the Sixth National Climate Assessment of the United States.
York's work also focuses on training the next generation of environmental scholars by co-directing ASU's Earth System Science for the Anthropocene (ESSA) graduate initiative, which has trained more than 200 scholars in transdisciplinary approaches to tackle complex environmental challenges with a focus on co-production of knowledge with local communities, rightsholders, and stakeholders.
Graduate students seeking to join York's research group or to learn more about the ESSA network should contact her to set up a time to discuss opportunities. York is committed to developing students' ability to conduct and understand empirical social science in their everyday lives as global citizens and for their future diverse career paths. She is deeply committed to increasing access to hands-on research opportunities for all undergraduate students, especially ASU's Online Students. ASU undergraduate students are encouraged to apply to be a part of York's research team through SHESC's Research Apprentice Program.
York is a founding member of A Network for Graduate Leadership in the Environment and Sustainability , served as the Director of Graduate Studies in SHESC (2021-2024), directed the Environmental Social Science PhD program (2014-2018), was the Associate Director with the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes (2014-2018), served as on the Executive Committee in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change (2019-2020), is on Executive Committee of the Central Arizona Phoenix-Long-term Ecological Research Site (2016-), and represented over 125 external affiliates as the External Representative on the Workshop Advisory Committee for the internationally recognized Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University (2019-2022).
- Ph.D. Public Policy, Indiana University
- B.A. Economics, Knox College
Ruth, A., SturtzSreetharan, C., Beresford, M., Brewis, A., BurnSilver, S. B., Caseldine, C. R., C. Drummond Otten, E. Estrada, D. J. Hruschka, E. Ilboudo Nébié, M. Jehn, K. J. Knudson, M. V. Kroot, J. N. Maupin, K. Michelaki, C. Morehart, R. G. Nelson, M. A. Peeples, K. L. Ranhorn, M. E. Smith, C. M. Stojanowski, A. Wutich, A. M. York (2025). Online Student Engagement in Social Science Research Laboratories: Expert Advice on the Opportunities and Challenges. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 8(4), 31-38.
Nyaupane, G.P., Poudel, S., & York, A. (2024). 11 Governance of protected areas: an institutional analysis of conservation, community livelihood, and tourism outcomes. in Stone, M., L. Stone, & G. Nyaupane. Protected Areas, Sustainable Tourism and Community Livelihood Linkages, 146. Routledge.
York, A., Petrov, A.N., Sharakhmatova, V.N., Degai, T., Mack, L., Metcalf, V., Sulyandziga, R., Topkok, S.A. and Zdor, E., (2024) Chapter 4: “ Arctic communities in the face of change.” in Young, O.R. and Kim, J-D. North Pacific Perspectives on the Arctic, p.72. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Sanchez, C., C. Cheng, D. Childers, A. York. 2023. Designing and implementing ecological monitoring of aridland urban ecological infrastructure (UEI): A case-study of design process and outcomes. In C. Gomes Sant'Anna, I. Mell, L. B. M. Schenk. Planning with Landscape: Green Infrastructure to Build Climate-Adapted Cities. Springer Nature
Yazar, M. & York, A. (2023). Urban climate governance under the national government
shadow: Evidence from Istanbul. Journal of Urban Affairs, 45(7), 1265-1281.
Arnold, G., Klasic, M., Wu, C., Schomburg, M., & York, A. 2023. Finding, distinguishing, and
understanding overlooked policy entrepreneurs. Policy Sciences, 56(4), 657-687.
Yazar, M., A. York, Nature-based solutions through collective actions for spatial justice in
urban green commons. Environmental Science & Policy 145, 228-237
Lobo, J., RM Aggarwal, M Alberti, M Allen-Dumas, LMA Bettencourt, C Boone, C Brelsford, V Castán Broto, H Eakin, S Bagchi-Sen, S Meerow, C D’Cruz, A Revi, DC Roberts, ME Smith, A York, T Lin, X Bai, W Solecki, D Pataki, L Bojorquez Tapia, M Rockman, M Wolfram, P Schlosser, N Gauthier. 2023. Integration of urban science and urban climate adaptation research: opportunities to advance climate action. npj Urban Sustainability 3 (1), 32
Crawford, K.ƚ, Angela Husterƚ, M. Peeples, N. Gauthierƚ , M. Smith, J. Lobo, A. York, D. Lawrence. 2023. A systematic approach for studying the persistence of settlements in the past Antiquity. 97 (391), 213-230
York, A, E Zdor*, S BurnSilver, T Degai, M Monakhova*, S Isakova, AN Petrov, M Kempf*. 2022. Institutional navigation of oceans governance: Lessons from Russia and the United States Indigenous multi-level whaling governance in the ArcticEarth System Governance. Earth System Governance. 14: 100154
Arnold, G., Klasic, M., M. Gottlieb, A. York, M. Baum, M. Cherin, S. Cliff, P. Kavousi,
A. Jordan, T. Miller, D. Shajari, Y. Wang, L. Zialcita. Boom, Bust, Action! How
Communities Cope with Fracking Boom-Bust Cycles. Review of Policy Research. 39 (5), 541-569
Yazar, M., H. Haarstad, L.Drengenes, A. York. 2022. Governance Learning from
Collective Actions for Just Climate Adaptation in Cities. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, section Climate Change and Cities. 4: 932070
Yazar, M., A. York, K. Larson. 2022 Adaptation, Exposure, and Politics: Local Extreme Heat and Global Climate Change Risk Perceptions in the Phoenix Metropolitan region, USA. Cities. 127: 103763
York, A., M. Yazar . 2022. Leveraging Shadow Networks for Procedural Justice. Current
Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 7: 101190
Yabiku, S.T., A. Sullivan, A. York, Q. Zhao, J.E. Glick, S. J. Hall, D.J. Ghimire, L. An. 2022. Drivers of prohibited natural resource collection in a protected area invaded by the mile-a-minute weed (Mikania micrantha). Environmental Conservation. 49 (2), 114-121.
Yazar, M. and A. York. 2022. Disentangling justice as recognition through public support for local climate adaptation policies: Insights from the Southwest US. Urban Climate. 41: 101079
Gottlieb, Madeline, Meghan Klasicƚ , Gwen Arnold, Abigail York, Melissa Baum**, Maia Cherin**, Sydney Cliff**, Parisa Kavousi**, Alexandria Jordan**, Tillett Miller**, Diana Shajari**, Yuer Wang**, Luigi Zialcita**. 2022. A Review of Community Impacts of Boom-Bust Cycles in Unconventional Oil and Gas Development. Energy Research & Social Science. 93, 102843
Recent External Awards
2024-25 National Science Foundation. Arctic Social Sciences: "Doctoral Dissertation: Co-Producing Arctic Sea Ice Knowledge: Insights and Pathways for Collaboration." PI: York, Co-PI: Monkahova $59,651
2023-2027 National Science Foundation Navigating the New Arctic : Collaborative Research: ACTION - Alaska Coastal Cooperative for Co-producing Transformative Ideas and Opportunities for Indigenous Communities in the North. Co-PI: York. Total: ~$14m, ASU Portion: $1,025,411
2019-2025 National Science Foundation Navigating the New Arctic Track 1: Collaborative ARC-NAV: Arctic Robust Communities-Navigating Adaptation to Variability PI: York (Total: $2,995,996, ASU Portion: $1,415,570
2017-2021 National Science Foundation. Decision Risk Management Sciences. “Escaping the boom-bust cycle: Identifying sustainable governance strategies for shaledependent communities.” $351,581. Abigail York (PI).
2016-2018 National Science Foundation. Division of Biology. “LTER: CAP IV: Design with Nature: A Framework for Exploring Urban Ecology and Sustainability.” $1,127,000. Daniel Childers, Abigail York (Co-PI), and others.
2013-2015 National Science Foundation. Archaeology, Political Science, Sociology, Geography. “Service Access in Premodern Cities.” $404,674. Michael Smith (PI), Abigail York (Co-PI), and others.
2012-2017 National Science Foundation. Coupled Natural Human Systems. “Feedbacks Between Human Community Dynamics and Socio-Ecological Vulnerability in an Ecological Hotspot.” $1,449,521. Scott Yabiku (PI), Abigail York (Co-PI), and
others.
2011-2013 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA Climate and Societal Interactions Program. FOA# NOAA-OAR-CPO-2011-2002561-2202404. “Risk perception, Institutions, and Water Conservation: Enhancing Agricultural Adaptation to Future Water Scarcity in Central Arizona” $300,000. Hallie Eakin (PI), Abigail York (Co-PI), John M. Anderies (Co-PI), and Timothy Lant (Co-
PI).
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| SOS 591 | Seminar |
| ELS 591 | Seminar |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 494 | Special Topics |
| ASB 591 | Seminar |
| ESS 591 | Seminar |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| ELS 591 | Seminar |
| SOS 591 | Seminar |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ESS 513 | Institutions |
2025 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| SOS 591 | Seminar |
| ELS 591 | Seminar |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| ELS 591 | Seminar |
| SOS 591 | Seminar |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 595 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| SOS 591 | Seminar |
| ELS 591 | Seminar |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| ELS 591 | Seminar |
| SOS 591 | Seminar |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ESS 513 | Institutions |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 595 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| SOS 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 595 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| SOS 596 | Capstone: Scientific Paper |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ESS 513 | Institutions |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 595 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
| ASB 316 | Money and Culture |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 795 | Continuing Registration |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
| ASB 584 | Internship |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
DOCTORAL COMMITTEES
Christina Brelsford, PhD Sustainability (co-chair)
Adrian Chase, Archaeology
Nonso Chidebell-Emordi, PhD Sustainability (chair)
Lauren Gentile, PhD Environmental Social Science
Rebecca Hale, PhD Ecology
Kevin Kane, PhD Geography
Emma Laurens, Environmental Social Science (chair)
Sarah McCool, PhD Global Health
Julie Ripplinger, PhD Ecology
Abigail Sullivan, PhD Environmental Social Science (chair)
Carissa Taylor, PhD Sustainability
Sainan Zhang, PhD Sustainability
MASTERS COMMITTEES
Cameron Childs, MA Sustainability (chair)
Ann Marie Raymondi, MA Sustainability (co-chair)
Riley Smith, MA Sustainability
Jessica Welch, MA Sustainability (chair)
HONORS UNDERGRADUATE COMMITTEES
Bridgette Gilliland, Anthropology
Hyejung Lim, Sustainability
Erica Pedersen, Political Science (chair)
INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS
Erin Brechbiel
Hannah Griffths
Assistant Professor 2005-2007, University of Missouri-Kansas City