Dr. Holly Caggiano

Biography

Holly Caggiano received her PhD in Planning and Public Policy from Rutgers’ Bloustein School and is currently an Assistant Professor at SCARP, University of British Columbia. Dr. Caggiano's research primarily focuses on the social dimensions of the renewable energy transition in Canada, emphasizing the importance of diverse stakeholder groups forming coalitions to advocate for environmental change. Her work investigates how individual decision-making influences collective action and how such collective actions disrupt existing power relations. Drawing on her interdisciplinary background in social sciences, Caggiano critically assesses both top-down and bottom-up approaches to advance equitable climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. Her dissertation explored the social-behavioral drivers behind household resource consumption and the food-energy-water nexus, highlighting how sustainability and resilience concepts shape planning practices. She actively seeks to understand the policies and tools communities employ in response to climate change, biodiversity loss, and related challenges.

Research Interests

Experience