Dr Neil Lewis Jr.

Neil Lewis Jr. is a rising star in the world of social psychology and the behavioral sciences. His academic achievements include a BA in economics and psychology from Cornell University, and an MS and PhD in social psychology from the University of Michigan. The quality of Neil’s research has been widely recognised too. In 2019 he was given the Rising Star Award by the Association for Psychological Science. And in 2020 he was given the SAGE Young Scholar Award by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Neil currently works as a behavioral, intervention, and meta-scientist at Cornell University and Weill Cornell Medicine, where he is an assistant professor.

Addressing social inequality

As a behavioural scientist, Neil has always been interested in equality issues within society. “After dipping my toes in a few different disciplines, I found my home in social psychology,” he says. “I was drawn to the approach of studying people to understand how a variety of factors combine to influence the behaviors and outcomes we observe in the world.” Neil’s research is always underpinned by the need to address some of the dispiriting issues that persist in the world and make progress in each.

“The world is changing rapidly, and will likely continue to change for the foreseeable future,” adds Neil. “Surviving – and thriving – in a rapidly changing world requires continuous learning, and that is just one of the many reasons I believe education is so important.”

When it comes to his own teaching, Neil is always available to offer advice to his students. He invites learners to enter a new subject with an open mind and a willingness to question what they think they know. “I think that is one of the most fascinating and fun things about my field,” comments Neil. “We spend so much of life walking around with lay theories about ourselves and other people, and in this field we actually get to put some of those theories to the test—we try to figure out why is it that we think and act in the ways that we do. That process can be gratifying if you are open to asking the questions and interrogating them.”

COVID 19 widened the gaps

According to Neil, the pandemic has shown just how fractured society can be. Pre-existing inequalities in health, education and the economy have all been exacerbated. Neil explains: “Those who were doing well before got better off in some ways. And those who were not doing well to begin with ended up much worse-off. It highlights the need to do more to build a better social safety to care for the most vulnerable.”