MSD Distinguished Speaker Series: The Power of Us with Dr. Jay Van Bavel

One of the biggest misconceptions we have about our identity is that it’s stable—when in reality, it’s constantly changing to reflect the groups we belong to. In his award-winning book The Power of Us—a blend of cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience—NYU professor Dr. Jay Van Bavel reveals how our identities are powerfully influenced by the groups we’re part of, and why this knowledge is especially crucial during the turbulent times we’re living in. Bringing his fascinating research to life in this engaging, practical talk, Jay shows us how to harness the power of shared identities in today’s world: helping us lead more effectively, boost productivity and collaboration, overcome our biases, and inspire real change, both personally and societally.

Jay was the recipient of the Golden Dozen Teaching Award at NYU, and has won several accolades for his research on how collective concerns shape the brain and behavior. His award-winning research has appeared in The Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Scientific American, and has been cited in both the U.S. Supreme Court and Senate. Jay has presented his work for conferences such as TEDx and the World Science Festival; for Fortune 500 organizations such as Uber and Amazon; and for the leading Psychology Departments and Business Schools around the country, including Harvard, Columbia, and Yale. To date, he has published over 100 academic papers, writes a mentoring column for Science Magazine, and has appeared on international media such as NBC News, NPR, and Bloomberg News.

Host or Publisher Montessori School of Denver