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Con Edison Social and Behavioral Research Award

Con Edison Social and Behavioral Research Award

Deadline Monday, October 31, 2022, 11:59PM

(Updated Nov. 2, 2022. Deadline extended to Nov. 20, 2022. See Update)

Submit your Application!

The CUNY Office of K-16 Initiatives is requesting proposals from social and behavioral research projects in support of Con Edison’s goal of increasing public awareness of gas safety and of the importance of reporting natural gas odors. Eligible projects are those that aim to better understand factors that may or may not prompt community members to contact Con Edison or call 911 when they detect a gas leak or gas odor.

Research areas may include but are not limited to:

  • Exploring the question that has troubled the utility industry for decades: what does and does not prompt the public to notify a utility or 911 of a detected gas leak?
  • Determining the efficacy of odor alarms vs. nuisance alarms
  • Measuring the effectiveness of Con Edison’s current education campaign: Smell Gas, Act Fast
  • Assessing the effectiveness of public health messaging:
    • In terms of language (i.e., conventional description of a “rotten egg odor” is not widely recognized)
    • In terms of tone (i.e., how to balance a message of urgency without being alarmist)
    • In terms of cultural competence (i.e., how to be inclusive of and relevant to all communities, especially in New York City and surrounding areas)
  • Enabling utility companies to learn from other public health messaging
  • Demonstrating how public awareness programs have guided and influenced human behavior

Full-time faculty researchers in the areas of public health, human and social behavior, and public affairs or any other relevant fields are encouraged to apply. We anticipate awarding 5-8 projects with funding levels of $25,000-$35,000. Awardees will be notified by December 1, 2022.

Program Guidelines

Program Template

Please direct any inquiries to:

Sarah McConnell

Deputy Director, K-16 Initiatives

sarah.mcconnell@cuny.edu https://k16.cuny.edu/


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