Work with thought leaders and academic experts in well-being

Companies can greatly benefit from working with academic researchers in the field of well-being. These experts can provide valuable insights and strategies to enhance employee well-being, improve productivity, and create a positive work environment. By collaborating with well-being researchers, companies can gain access to the latest research and evidence-based practices, allowing them to develop effective well-being programs and initiatives. Additionally, academic researchers can conduct studies and evaluations to assess the impact of well-being interventions, helping companies make data-driven decisions. Overall, partnering with well-being academic researchers can lead to happier and healthier employees, increased employee engagement, reduced turnover, and improved organizational performance.

Researchers on NotedSource with backgrounds in well-being include Christos Makridis, Kostadin Kushlev, Sarah Arpin, Ph.D., Ryan Howell, Ariel Kalil, Konstantinos Tsavdaridis, Dr. Christian Waugh, Ph.D., Sonja Lyubomirsky, Norman Farb, Jennifer Aaker, and Eric S. Kim, Ph.D..

Christos Makridis

Nashville, TN

10 Years Experience

Web3 and Labor Economist in Academia, Entrepreneurship, and Policy

Education

Stanford University

Dual Ph.D., Economics and Management Science & Engineering / June, 2018

Stanford, California, United States of America

Arizona State University

B.S., Economics and Mathematics / May, 2012

Tempe, Arizona, United States of America

Experience

Stanford University

Digital Fellow / August, 2020 — Present

Department of Veterans Affairs

Senior Adviser, National AI Institute / January, 2020 — Present

Columbia Business School

Adjunct Associate Research Scholar / February, 2022 — Present

Research Expertise (16)

Finance

Economics and Econometrics

Accounting

Pharmacology (medical)

Law

And 11 more

About

Christos A. Makridis holds academic appointments at Columbia Business School, Stanford University, Baylor University, University of Nicosia, and Arizona State University. He is also an adjunct scholar at the Manhattan Institute, senior adviser at Gallup, and senior adviser at the National AI Institute in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Christos is the CEO/co-founder of [Dainamic](https://www.dainamic.ai/), a technology startup working to democratize the use and application of data science and AI techniques for small and mid sized organizations, and CTO/co-founder of [Living Opera](https://www.livingopera.org/), a web3 startup working to bridge classical music and blockchain technologies. Christos previously served on the White House Council of Economic Advisers managing the cybersecurity, technology, and space activities, as a Non-resident Fellow at the Cyber Security Project in the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, as a Digital Fellow at the Initiative at the Digital Economy in the MIT Sloan School of Management, a a Non-resident Research Scientist at Datacamp, and as a Visiting Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Christos’ primary academic research focuses on labor economics, the digital economy, and personal finance and well-being. He has published over 70 peer-reviewed research papers in academic journals and over 170 news articles in the press. Christos earned a Bachelor’s in Economics and Minor in Mathematics at Arizona State University, as well a dual Masters and PhDs in Economics and Management Science & Engineering at Stanford University.

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Kostadin Kushlev

Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America

13 Years Experience

My research focuses on interventions to improve well-being by promoting better digital habits.

Education

University of British Columbia

PhD, Psychology / August, 2015

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Reed College

B.A., Psychology / May, 2008

Portland, Oregon, United States of America

Experience

Georgetown University

Assistant Professor / August, 2018 — Present

University of Virginia

Research Scientist / August, 2015 — August, 2018

Research Expertise (4)

Social Psychology

Communication

Applied Psychology

Human-Computer Interaction

About

I am broadly interested in the factors that promote or diminish happiness and well-being. My research program explores how constant connectivity to the Internet impacts people’s relationships and well-being and how we can harness technology to improve well-being and promote positive behavioral change. I am a Vanier Scholar and a Rising Star of the Association for Psychological Science (APS). I have written for *The* *New York Times*, *The Conversation*, and *Psychology Today*, and my work has been covered by other prestigious publications such as *The* *Economist, BBC, NPR, Forbes, Fast Company, Time Magazine, The Wall Stree Journal, National Geographic,* and *The Washington Post*. I have consulted for companies such as Ipsos, Canvas8, and Luce Research. See more at www.kushlev.com

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Sarah Arpin, Ph.D.

Spokane, Washington, United States of America

8 Years Experience

Associate Professor of Psychology, Gonzaga University

Education

Gonzaga University

B.A., Psychology, Philosophy / May, 2010

Spokane, Washington, United States of America

Portland State University

Ph.D., Applied Social Psychology, Quantitative Psychology / May, 2015

Portland, Oregon, United States of America

Experience

Gonzaga University

Assistant Professor / August, 2015 — September, 2020

Gonzaga University

Associate Professor / September, 2020 — Present

Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences

Methodological and data analytic consultant / June, 2019 — Present

Consultant on research grant exploring effectiveness of the Behavioral Health and Resilience Training for Military Leaders. Investigators, Dr. Leslie Hammer and Dr. Cynthia Mohr

Research Expertise (9)

loneliness

social relationships and health

dyadic data analysis

Social Psychology

Geriatrics and Gerontology

And 4 more

About

Dr. Arpin's research focuses on the application of quantitative methods to the study of social psychological processes, including social interactions, social emotions, and health behavioral outcomes. She has conducted extensive research and published in the areas of loneliness and social determinants of health, using experimental and survey methodology. Dr. Arpin also has experience as a methodology and data analytic consultant on several large grant-funded projects, including DOD-funded intervention studies targeting well-being and social resilience among service-members.

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Ryan Howell

San Francisco , California, United States of America

18 Years Experience

Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University

Education

University of California, Riverside

PhD, Social / Personality Psychology Division / 2005

Riverside, California, United States of America

University of California, Riverside

MA, Social / Personality Psychology / 2002

Riverside, California, United States of America

Westmont College

BSc, Psychology / 1998

Santa Barbara, California, United States of America

Experience

San Francisco State University, Department of Psychology

Associate Professor / 2012 — Present

Research Expertise (34)

Happiness

Psychiatry and Mental health

Clinical Psychology

History and Philosophy of Science

Applied Psychology

And 29 more

About

Dr. Ryan Howell is an Associate Professor at San Francisco State University. His research interests include the psychology of goals and how people pursue and achieve them. Dr. Howell received his PhD in Social/Personality Psychology from the University of California, Riverside in 2005.

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Ariel Kalil

Chicago, Illinois, United States of America

27 Years Experience

University of Chicago Professor and Expert on Childhood Development

Education

University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

PhD, Developmental Psychology / 1996

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America

University of Colorado System

MA, Social Psychology / 1993

Boulder, Colorado, United States of America

University of Wisconsin–Madison

BA, Psychology and French Literature / 1991

Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America

Experience

University of Chicago

Daniel Levin Professor in the Harris School of Public Policy Studies and in the College / 2022 — Present

Research Expertise (25)

Sociology and Political Science

Developmental and Educational Psychology

Education

Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health

Life-span and Life-course Studies

And 20 more

About

Ariel D. Kalil is the Daniel Levin Professor of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago. She is a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a research associate at the Population Studies Center at the University of Michigan. She is also a faculty member in the Harris School of Public Policy Studies and in the College at the University of Chicago. Kalil's research lies at the intersection of child development and public policy. She is particularly interested in the effect of early childhood interventions on health and economic outcomes in adulthood. Her work has been published in leading social science journals, including the American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and the Journal of Political Economy. Kalil earned her PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor in 1996, her MA in Social Psychology from the University of Colorado System in 1993, and her BA in Psychology and French Literature from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1991.

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Konstantinos Tsavdaridis

London

12 Years Experience

Full Professor of Structural Engineering, Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer

Education

City University London

PhD in Civil/Structural Engineering, Department of Engineering and Mathematics / May, 2010

London

Imperial College London

MSc (DIC) in General Structural Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering / September, 2006

London

Experience

City University of London

Professor of Structural Engineering / October, 2021 — Present

University of Leeds

Associate Professor of Structural Engineering / January, 2016 — Present

Assistant Professor in Structural Engneering / September, 2012 — December, 2015

City University

Lecturer in Civil Engineering / September, 2010 — August, 2012

Research Expertise (29)

Mechanics of Materials

Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality

Building and Construction

Architecture

Civil and Structural Engineering

And 24 more

About

civil engineering, steel structures, composite structures, structural engineering, design optimisation, modular buildings, nonlinear analysis

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Dr. Christian Waugh, Ph.D.

13 Years Experience

Professor of Psychology with expertise in resilience, positive emotions, stress

Education

University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Ph.D., Psychology / 2006

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America

Experience

Wake Forest University

2010 — Present

Research Expertise (38)

Sociology and Political Science

And 33 more

About

Christian Waugh, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology at Wake Forest University, NC, is an expert in the study of stress resilience, emotions, and effective coping habits. His research features resilience as the result of stress, trauma, and the ability to experience positive emotions in times of stress. Dr. Waugh has been twice honored for teaching excellence at Wake Forest, is a professional speaker, and has published several dozen scientific articles.

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Sonja Lyubomirsky

Distinguished Professor, University of California, Riverside

Education

Stanford University

PhD, Social Psychology / 1994

Stanford, California, United States of America

Harvard University

A.B., Psychology / 1989

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America

Experience

University of California, Riverside

Distinguished Professor

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Norman Farb

9 Years Experience

Associate Professor at University of Toronto - Mississauga

Education

University of Toronto

PhD, Psychology / December, 2010

Toronto

Experience

University of Toronto - Mississauga

Associate Professor / July, 2014 — Present

Research Expertise (34)

Mindfulness- Emotion - Affect - Attention - Neuroscience - Interoception

Cognitive Neuroscience

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Psychiatry and Mental health

Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

And 29 more

About

Norman Farb, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, where he directs the Regulatory and Affective Dynamics laboratory (www.radlab.zone). He studies the psychology of well-being, focusing on mental habits, such as how we think about ourselves and interpret our emotions. He is particularly interested in why people differ in their resilience to stress, depression, and anxiety. Prof. Farb's work currently explores online training to support wellbeing, as well as neuroimaging to understand how emotional reactions predict mental health over the lifespan.

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Jennifer Aaker

18 Years Experience

General Atlantic Professor, Stanford University

Education

Stanford University

PhD, Marketing, minor in Psychology / 1996

Stanford, California, United States of America

University of California, Berkeley

BA, Psychology / 1989

Berkeley, California, United States of America

Experience

Stanford Graduate School of Business

General Atlantic Professor / 2005 — Present

Research Expertise (23)

The psychology of time

money

and happiness

Marketing

Economics and Econometrics

And 18 more

About

Jennifer Aaker is a marketing professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the author of several books on the topic, including The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective, and Powerful Ways to Use Social Media to Drive Social Change. She has also conducted research on the psychology of happiness and self-regulation.

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Eric S. Kim, Ph.D.

Vancouver

14 Years Experience

Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of British Columbia

Experience

UnitedHealth Group

Consultant / January, 2015 — February, 2021

AARP

Consultant / January, 2015 — Present

IDEO

Consultant / July, 2018 — February, 2021

Most Relevant Research Expertise

well-being

Other Research Expertise (32)

Psychiatry and Mental health

And 27 more

About

Dr. Kim's program of research aims to identify, understand, and intervene upon the dimensions of psychological well-being (sense of purpose in life, optimism) that reduce the risk of age-related conditions. <br> Around this topic, he has given invited lectures at Universities (Harvard, U. of Penn, MIT, Columbia U.), corporations (UnitedHealth Care, IDEO, AARP, Samsung), and he’s also been invited to speak at and join the working groups of national- and international-think-tanks (United Nations, OECD, Aspen Ideas Festival, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, The Task Force for Global Health, World Government Summit, National Academy of Sciences). He’s also been recognized as one of Forbe’s 30 Under 30 in Healthcare, recipient of the American Journal of Epidemiology's Paper of the Year Award, the American Psychological Association Division 20 (Aging) Early Career Achievement Award, and an Association for Psychological Science (APS) Rising Star. His insights have been featured in the: NY Times, Atlantic, BBC News, NPR, Washington Post. His research has been cited by policy statements/guidelines formulated by the: United Nations, National Academy of Sciences, American Heart Association, the U.S. Surgeon General. Population aging is one of the most important social trends of the 21st century. In both Canada and the U.S., the # of adults aged ≥65 is projected to increase by 45%-55% in the next 15 years. As societies grapple with the rising tide of chronic conditions, healthcare costs, and long-term care costs, it is imperative to develop a science that informs a more comprehensive approach to healthy aging. Dr. Kim’s overarching goal is to substantially help improve the psychological well-being and physical health of our rapidly growing population. In pursuit of this goal, his program of research revolves around 4 interwoven questions. He studies: 1) Several dimensions of psychological well-being (sense of purpose in life, optimism) and how they relate to health outcomes. 2) The behavioral, biological, and neural mechanisms underlying the association between psychological well-being and health. 3) How an individual’s psychological well-being interacts with the surrounding environment to influence behavioral and physical health outcomes; for example, at the meso-level (dyadic dynamics in couples, neighborhood contexts, altruism/volunteering) and the macro-level (social cohesion, social and racial disparities). 4) And he partners with non-profit/healthcare companies to conduct translational research that test scalable interventions.

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Example well-being projects

How can companies collaborate more effectively with researchers, experts, and thought leaders to make progress on well-being?

Designing a Comprehensive Employee Well-being Program

An academic researcher can collaborate with a company to design and implement a comprehensive employee well-being program. This program may include initiatives such as stress management workshops, mindfulness training, physical activity challenges, and mental health support. By leveraging the expertise of a well-being researcher, companies can create a tailored program that addresses the specific needs and challenges of their workforce.

Evaluating the Impact of Flexible Work Arrangements on Well-being

An academic researcher can conduct a study to evaluate the impact of flexible work arrangements on employee well-being. This research can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of flexible work policies in promoting work-life balance, reducing stress, and improving overall well-being. Companies can use the findings to optimize their flexible work policies and create a more supportive and flexible work environment.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Wellness Programs

Well-being researchers can collaborate with companies to assess the effectiveness of their wellness programs. Through surveys, interviews, and data analysis, researchers can evaluate the impact of wellness initiatives on employee health outcomes, job satisfaction, and productivity. This information can help companies refine their wellness programs and ensure they are delivering meaningful benefits to their employees.

Developing Strategies for Work-Life Integration

Academic researchers can work with companies to develop strategies for promoting work-life integration. By understanding the unique challenges faced by employees in balancing work and personal life, researchers can provide evidence-based recommendations and interventions. These strategies can help companies create a supportive work environment that values work-life balance and fosters employee well-being.

Implementing Mental Health Support Programs

Collaborating with academic researchers in well-being can help companies implement effective mental health support programs. Researchers can provide guidance on developing policies, training managers, and creating a supportive culture around mental health. By addressing mental health issues proactively, companies can improve employee well-being, reduce absenteeism, and enhance overall organizational performance.