Dr. Kate Laffan

Biography

Kate Laffan is an Assistant Professor of Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Economics from University College Dublin and obtained both her MSc and PhD in Social Policy from the London School of Economics. Her doctoral research focused on the relationship between wellbeing, behaviour, and the environment, sponsored by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. Kate’s research expertise lies at the intersection of psychology and economics, utilizing quantitative methods, laboratory and field experiments, and secondary data analysis to explore human behaviour and wellbeing. She has a specific interest in pro-environmental behaviours and the reciprocal relationship between individuals and their environments. Kate was awarded the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship by the European Commission, where she investigated intention-behaviour gaps in environmentally significant consumption behaviours. She works with various governments, charities, and international organizations to apply behavioural science to policy challenges. Furthermore, Kate has served as a Behavioural Science Fellow at the OECD, where she focused on implementing behavioural insights to promote sustainability and excellence in management. She also co-leads a working group for the UN’s Planet Network that focuses on Behavioural Insights for Sustainable Lifestyles.

Research Interests

Awards