Jeff Lees

Jeff Lees is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Resource Management & Organizational Behavior at the University of Groningen, Faculty of Economics and Business. He coordinates the 'Leadership & Governance' strategic theme and is a Faculty Fellow at the FEB Research Institute (FEBRI). His research focuses on belief traps—the gap between perceived and real social dynamics—and their impact on sustainability, political conflict, and organizational leadership.

Education: PhD in Organizational Behavior & Psychology (Harvard University, 2020), MA in Social Science (University of Chicago, 2012), BA in Psychology and Political Science (University of Maine at Farmington, 2011).

Research Interests: Jeff examines how misperceptions drive negative outcomes in organizations, politics, and sustainability. He uses experimental, field, and computational methods to study belief traps in contexts like corporate sustainability, political polarization, and leadership dynamics. His work emphasizes interventions to reduce ideological divides and improve decision-making accuracy.

Awards: TESS Young Investigator Award, Emerging Scholar Award (Center for the Science of Moral Understanding), Research Fellowship (George Washington University).

Professional Roles: Previously served as Associate Research Scholar at Princeton University (2022–2024) and Visiting Assistant Professor at Clemson University (2020–2022). Active in NGOs like MoreLikeUS (USA-based Social Science Advisory Council member).

Labs/Teams: Coordinates the Leadership & Governance initiative at Groningen and collaborates globally on climate psychology and political behavior projects.