Risk, Judgment, and Decision Processes
By The Editors
April 30, 2021
From The Staff Communications Environment
Louie Rivers says racism, misogyny, and mistreatment of minority groups have always been a part of the "social milieu of America," but that COVID-19 has magnified these oppressive trends. Rivers is an associate professor of forestry and environmental resources at North Carolina State University. His research focuses on examining decision processes related to risk and judgment in minority and marginalized communities, particularly with regard to the natural environment. His research agenda includes a strong focus on environmental justice.
On March 30, 2021, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, hosted a virtual presentation by Rivers as part of its Pizza Lunch series (video and curated live tweets are below). Rivers asked rhetorically whether he is "an agent of oppression" as a scientist and whether "his work or field of study contributed to this sad state of affairs" in which we all find ourselves. In starting off his reflexive talk, Rivers said he hoped he would "share something that would touch other people."
One key component of Rivers's talk was recognizing the difference in humans' two systems of thinking—fast, emotional responses and slower decision-making following rules and logic—and seeking to integrate those two systems more for societal actions.
"Am I an agent of oppression?"
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