Neil Lewis Jr.

Neil Lewis Jr. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Cornell University, with joint affiliations in Psychology and the College of Arts and Sciences. As co-director of the Cornell Action Research Collaborative, he bridges behavioral science and public policy to address educational and health inequities.

His research examines how social identities and contextual factors shape motivation, particularly in underrepresented groups. Key areas include: (1) designing equitable policy messaging via identity-centered frameworks, (2) analyzing structural barriers in STEM education, and (3) developing scalable behavioral interventions for public health challenges. His methodological expertise spans megastudies, cross-cultural surveys, and community-engaged research.

Lewis's recent work demonstrates strong translational focus, including collaborations with policymakers on vaccination outreach, housing programs, and immigration reform. Publications frequently integrate mixed methods to examine psychological mechanisms underlying societal disparities, emphasizing practical applications of identity-based motivation theory.

As a science communicator, he contributes to The Atlantic and FiveThirtyEight, translating research on racial equity, political polarization, and organizational behavior for broad audiences.