Jessica Barker, Ph.D.
Senior Behavioral Scientist
Outside work is where the real behavior change challenges begin: being a parent to young twins! And for that I need all the creativity I can muster from a run, bike ride or hike.
As a senior behavioral scientist, Jessie seeks to understand why people behave the way they do and apply this knowledge to promote the health of people and the planet. She has been captivated by behavior throughout her career, whether her subjects be humans or honey bees. Following interdisciplinary postdoctoral research fellowships, Jessie worked at the Behavioural Insights Team in London, where she designed and tested interventions to encourage pro-social and pro-environmental behavior. Prior to joining Surgo, she was a public health scientist in the Alaska state government, working on chronic disease surveillance and on the COVID-19 vaccine task force.
Jessie holds a Ph.D. in behavioral biology from Cornell University and a B.A. in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge.