BIOGRAPHY

I am an Associate Professor (with tenure) at the Department of Social and Decision Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. My research integrates insights from economics and psychology to uncover the drivers and barriers of behaviors that are beneficial to individuals, organizations and society. 

A line of my work studies the drivers of (un)ethical decisions and outcomes in economically important contexts, with a focus on how financial and psychological motives interact, shaping judgment, behavior and the way in which people engage with information. This research provides a behavioral lens into phenomena like institutional corruption or professional misconduct, and delivers predictions about when and why individuals may be more tempted to transgress, when policies designed to promote ethical choices might backfire, and how to design environments that promote compliance -- informing public policy and management strategies. 

In another stream of my work I identify ways to overcome barriers to healthy behavior. I study how traditional tools like incentives and information provision can be combined with psychology-based interventions to promote healthy habits, improve mental well-being, and encourage the take-up of life-saving vaccines and the utilization of preventative screenings.

My research leverages various experimental methodologies, including laboratory experiments, online surveys, and field experiments. I have advised organizations such as the UK Behavioural Insight Team, UCLA Health, the NHL, and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  My research has been published in leading journals including the American Economic Review, Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Management Science. My work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Aging via several Roybal grants from CHIBE and NBER Roybal Center for Behavior Change in Health, J-PAL North America, and the Russell Sage Foundation.