PhD Student

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

I’m a 3rd year PhD candidate at MIT in the IT group at Sloan. If you don’t know what that means, you’re not alone. My mom still can’t describe it to her friends, so I’ve told her to say, “he studies how we can use AI to learn about human behavior and how AI can be used to impact human decision-making.’’ If her friends have more questions, she’s instructed to say, “he is an economist who draws heavily on computer science and psychology.” If they keep asking, she runs away and hides.

Before I continue, let me state how wildly narcissistic it is that I, along with most academics, have these self-aggrandizing websites. Now, back to me! My research primarily focuses on the intersection of behavioral economics, causal inference, and machine learning. I am most interested in (1) how and when we can learn more about humans with the help of generative AI and new computational methods, (2) the capacity of AI agents to accurately encode human preferences, and (3) the impact of using AI agents to facilitate the exchange of information, both among other agents and with humans.

In my free time, you can find me writing almost funny vignettes on my website, hiking slowly, cycling through traffic, kicking a soccer ball, reading/napping, playing Catan, traveling, or simply hanging with friends. I also have a thing for ice cream.

P.S. and P.S.A. As an (aspiring) academic, I have strong opinions about almost everything. Despite what some describe as an “obstinate” personality, I advocate for viewpoint diversity (even viewpoints I hate, of which there are many, so many). As such, I am a member of Jonathan Haidt’s Heterodox Academy, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group dedicated to promoting open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement in higher education. Please message me if you have questions about this organization or my stated membership.

Interests

  • Behavioral Economics
  • Experimental Economics
  • Science of Science
  • AI Agents

Education

  • Ph.D., Management Science & Information Technology, 2022 - Present

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • S.M., Management Research, 2022 - 2024

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Master of Public Policy, 2019 - 2021

    Harvard Kennedy School

  • B.A., Applied Mathematics, 2013 - 2017

    Washington University in St. Louis