Jiaying ZhaoSpeaker and Booking Agent Information

Jiaying Zhao is a Professor of Psychology and at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia. She holds the Canada Research Chair in Behavioral Sustainability and is a UBC Sauder Distinguished Scholar. Originally from China, Zhao earned her PhD in cognitive psychology from Princeton University. Her research explores how psychological principles can address financial and environmental challenges, including how poverty and scarcity affect cognition, and how to design behavioral interventions for recycling, climate action, and poverty alleviation. Notable work includes studies on how unconditional cash transfers reduce homelessness and on interventions that promote sustainable behaviors. She advises governments and organizations worldwide (e.g., the UN, the OECD, the Canadian Senate) and has received awards, including the Killam Research Prize.