Dr. Maya Shankar

And think about like a single mom who's working three shifts to make ends meet.

And think about like a single mom who's working three shifts to make ends meet.

And now they're being asked to fill out this very burdensome form.

And now they're being asked to fill out this very burdensome form.

just to allow their kids to eat lunch at school every day.

just to allow their kids to eat lunch at school every day.

And so what the government did is they used existing data on these students, and they automatically enrolled these kids in the program, such that now the default was for kids to be enrolled.

And so what the government did is they used existing data on these students, and they automatically enrolled these kids in the program, such that now the default was for kids to be enrolled.

And if you wanted to unenroll your kid, you could, but that was the default setting.

And if you wanted to unenroll your kid, you could, but that was the default setting.

And as a result of this change informed by behavioral economics, 12.5 million more kids were now eating lunch at school every day.

And as a result of this change informed by behavioral economics, 12.5 million more kids were now eating lunch at school every day.

And I just remember being blown away by this example.

And I just remember being blown away by this example.

You know, I've been waxing poetic about the promise of my field for years at this point, but to actually see it in practice was extraordinary for me.

You know, I've been waxing poetic about the promise of my field for years at this point, but to actually see it in practice was extraordinary for me.

And there was just this light bulb moment of, oh my gosh, this is what I want to be doing.

And there was just this light bulb moment of, oh my gosh, this is what I want to be doing.

You know, I want to be actually taking insights from decision science and putting them into practice in people's lives so that they can live better lives.

You know, I want to be actually taking insights from decision science and putting them into practice in people's lives so that they can live better lives.