Applying Behavioral Science in your Own Backyard
MAY 1 & 2
CONFERENCE NOW ONLINE
Join leading behavioral scientists, executives, policymakers and journalists at our annual Conference to explore the latest insights from applied behavioral sciences research for addressing social challenges...
*bspa is 501(c)(3) non profit
MAY 1 & 2
With the common goal of exploring ways to collaborate to serve the public interest, our speakers will discuss how behavioral insights can enhance private and public-sector practice, helping bridge the divide between behavioral scientists and practitioners.
Talk Formats
Authors Shaping New Perspectives
Challenge your assumptions on how the behavioral sciences can be applied across multiple contexts as you hear from pre-eminent researchers and experts discussing their original publications.
Keynotes
Interact with our community thought leaders as they present the behavioral science findings most relevant to private and public sector practitioners aiming to promote the application of rigorous behavioral science research to societal issues.
Lightning Talks
How is behavioral science being implemented in practice? Engage with academics and behavioral science practitioners as they highlight cutting edge behavioral science insights.
Panel Discussions
Join us as we explore a 'hot button' topic and convene a cross disciplinary, engrossing panel including speakers from leading behavioral policy organizations, universities, think tanks and nonprofits.
Industry Awards
Join us as we announce the 2025 winners of the Behavioral Policy Publication Award & Young Investigator Awards whose work has advanced the rigorous application and development of behavioral/social science to policy and practice in public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Recordings
Can't make it to every sessions? No problem-registrants will have access to recordings of all sessions after the conference.
FEATURED EXPERTS
2025 bspa conference co-chairs
Abby Sussman
​
Professor of Marketing, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Denise Rousseau
​
Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University
​
keynote - fireside chat - international development without a federal mandate
Dean Karlan
​
Professor of Economics and Finance, Northwestern University and Co-Director, Global Poverty Research Lab
Nicholas Kristof
​
NY Times Columnist and Best-Selling author
book panel - morality and polarization
Michael Morris
“Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together”
Professor of Leadership at
Columbia Business School
Steven Sloman
“The Cost of Conviction: How Our Deepest Values Lead Us Astray”
Professor at
Brown University
Leor Zmigrod
“The Ideological Brain: The Radical Science of Flexible Thinking”
Best-Selling Author
Dave Nussbaum
Moderator
​
Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science, University of Chicago
panel discussion: experimenting in your organization
Jennifer Kurkoski
Director, People Analytics at
Google
​
​
​
Vickie Pisowicz
​
Founder at Eyes to See
Jessie Wisdom
​
Head of People Analytics at
Adobe
Elizabeth Linos
Moderator
​
Professor of Public Policy and Management and Faculty Director of the People Lab at
Harvard University
panel discussion: behavioral aspects of policing
Jens Ludwig
Professor and Pritzker Director, University of Chicago Crime Lab at
University of Chicago
Roger Mayer
Professor of Leadership at
North Carolina State University
Tom Tyler
Macklin Fleming Professor Emeritus of Law at
Yale University
David Schoorman
Moderator
Professor of Management, Purdue University
panel discussion: scaling & implementation
Emily Cardon
Director of BIT US
Louise Connell
Professor of Allied Health Rehabilitation,
Lancaster University and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Stefano DellaVigna
Professor of Economics & Professor of Business Administration at
University of California, Berkeley
Dean Fixsen
Director, Active Implementation Research Network, Inc
Scott Young
Moderator
Board Member, Bescy & Visiting Senior Fellow at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
panel discussion: injecting behavioral science insights for health care policy
David Asch
Sr Vice President,
University of Pennsylvania
Sally Welborn
Principal, Welborn Advisory Services
Kevin Volpp
Moderator
Director of CHIBE and Professor at Perelman School of Medicine and Health Care Management at University of Pennsylvania
topic focused panels - most relevant current findings
Tina Christie
Education
Professor, Wasserman Dean of the School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA
Emma Levine
Justice & Ethics
Professor of Behavioral Science at
University of Chicago
Katherine White
Environment & Sustainability
Professor, Marketing and Behavioural Science Division
Sauder School of Business
Carrie Leana
Poverty & Fiinancial Wellbeing
Professor of Organizations and Management, and Professor of Business Administration
University of Pittsburgh
Jeffrey Linder
Healthcare
Chief, Division of General Internal Medicine, Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Matthew Cronin
Organizations & Management
Professor of Management,
George Mason University
best paper and young investigator awards
Hal Hershfield
Presenter
​
Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology at UCLA
bspa team
Craig Fox
Harold Williams Professor of Management, Area Chair, Behavioral Decision Making, Professor of Psychology and Medicine, UCLA
Sim Sitkin
​
Michael W. Krzyzewski University Professor, Professor of Management and Public Policy, Director, Behavioral Science & Policy Center, Duke University
...and many more lightning round speakers - see Agenda for details
​
"I found the BSPA conference incredibly useful for connecting academic researchers with practitioners. Presenting at the conference led to a meeting with a financial industry professional, which has turned into one of my most fruitful collaborations. I believe that both of us view the venue and the format as instrumental in facilitating this important relationship."
- Dr. Alex Imas
Carnegie Mellon University
Who are we?
Behavioral Science in Policy & Application is a global community of leading scholars, practitioners and policymakers promoting the thoughtful application of behavioral science to policy and practice.
We facilitate unconventional behavioral solutions that address society’s most pressing challenges.
The research is powerful
From enhancing retirement saving, to promoting energy conservation, to reducing opioid prescription by doctors, behavioral science insights have generated proven results.
We focus on impact
BSPA is a leading organization dedicated to bridging the gap between behavioral research and practical application. We provide intellectual triage across healthcare, financial decision making, energy & environment, justice, education and labor domains, through events, publications and advisory services.
We deliver curated thought leadership
BSPA is at the center of a network of applied behavioral science organizations promoting the application of social science to public and private sector issues. Our advisory board members are giants in the field and include: Paul Brest, David Brooks, John Seely Brown, Adam Grant, Daniel Kahneman, Denise Rousseau, Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler.