Heather Craska is a PhD student in Environment and Natural Resources, specializing in Environmental Social Science. She holds a B.A. in Geography and a Master of Environmental Science with a GIS certificate. Her research focuses on farmer decision-making, the adoption of conservation practices to improve soil and water quality, and how peer networks and information exchange influence behavior. She draws on theories from social psychology and collective action to understand environmental decision-making in agricultural contexts. Heather’s work is motivated by the need for more socially-informed approaches to conservation.
Heather’s dissertation research is part of the Pilot Watershed Project in the Western Lake Erie Basin, which uses a collective action framing to encourage long-term conservation behavior among farmers. The project supports regional goals to reduce phosphorus loads by 40% in order to mitigate harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Through a mixed-methods, longitudinal design including panel surveys, semi-structured interviews, and social network analysis, her research investigates the impacts of the program on conservation practice adoption and farmer motivations. Key themes include collective efficacy, social norms, and the role of peer networks in influencing behavior. The ultimate aim is to generate insights that can improve the design of watershed conservation programs across the Great Lakes.
craska.1@buckeyemail.osu.edu
Kottman Hall
2021 Coffey Road
PilotWatershedProject_Overview_2025