| Alexander Maki, PhD Social Psychologist |
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Welcome!
I'm a science policy and program evaluation expert who designs and evaluates efforts to address pressing social issues.
Currently, I work on program evaluation and energy policy analysis as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). From 2018-2019, I worked on federal climate policy as a Science Policy Fellow with the United States Congress through the American Psychological Association (APA). From 2015-2018, I was an interdisciplinary postdoctoral researcher with the Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and Environment and the Climate Change Research Network. I received my PhD in Social Psychology, with an emphasis in Quantitative Methods, from the University of Minnesota in 2015. |
Social science has a lot to offer the world. That's why I'm passionate about using theory and evaluation to understand and inform program decision making and behavioral policy. How can we improve current programs, investment decision, and policies to help people engage in positive behaviors over time? And, how can we design new programs, interventions, and policies to better address emerging social issues?
Properly addressing pressing social issues, such as climate change or improving community health, often requires that many people engage in numerous, positive behaviors over time. Currently, many programs and interventions target the single behavior of an individual (e.g., persuading an office employee to turn off their computer monitor when leaving work for the day). Traditionally, my research has explored a number of related topics to help improve and better design and evaluate programs.
First, my research has explored how to best design programs to help people change multiple actions to address a single social issue. I have also investigated how and when behaviors spread from one individual to another within a group or community. I also explore the factors linked to why people succeed or fail at maintaining their behavior over time. Finally, I have been increasingly exploring how people perceive social and science policies, and why statistical summary of research on behavior change interventions ("meta-analysis") is a promising route to improving social policies.
Properly addressing pressing social issues, such as climate change or improving community health, often requires that many people engage in numerous, positive behaviors over time. Currently, many programs and interventions target the single behavior of an individual (e.g., persuading an office employee to turn off their computer monitor when leaving work for the day). Traditionally, my research has explored a number of related topics to help improve and better design and evaluate programs.
First, my research has explored how to best design programs to help people change multiple actions to address a single social issue. I have also investigated how and when behaviors spread from one individual to another within a group or community. I also explore the factors linked to why people succeed or fail at maintaining their behavior over time. Finally, I have been increasingly exploring how people perceive social and science policies, and why statistical summary of research on behavior change interventions ("meta-analysis") is a promising route to improving social policies.
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Latest updates:
I was quoted in Spencer Bokat-Lindell's New York Times Opinion piece "So You Want to Convince a Climate Change Skeptic". I volunteered with the DreamWakers, speaking to elementary students in Maryland about cool careers and environmental science. I presented at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on Lessons from Psychological Research on Recycling, Energy Use, and Composting for the Committee on A Systems Approach to Reducing Consumer Food Waste. The Pine Knot News wrote about my time as a Congressional Fellow. Read it here. |
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About Me
I'm a Minnesota native, where I grew up playing basketball, baseball, and tennis. I have always been a huge geek, and enjoy obsessing over Tolkien, Marvel, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the catalogs of my favorite musicians. To offset that geekiness, I enjoy spending time outdoors, often looking for new places to hike, camp, and bike.
I also love traveling. I lived in Australia for six months, and have visited Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, New Zealand, Spain, and Sweden. I'm always looking to add to the list.
I also love traveling. I lived in Australia for six months, and have visited Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, New Zealand, Spain, and Sweden. I'm always looking to add to the list.
Email: alexander.arm.maki@gmail.com