We’re starting the year by welcoming in the new with an introduction to our most recent member of the team, Behavioural Scientist, Lara Suraci!
Lara has a PhD in Behavioural Economics with a research focus on barriers to the adoption of novel, digital technologies - a key theme of many of our projects, from understanding attitudes to new mobility solutions to driving uptake of energy saving devices. Already, she’s been researching, designing, punning and embracing the unexpected, as she explains…
A few hours into my first day at DG Cities, a member of the team approached me with a piece of advice that went something like this, “You’ll soon realise two things about DG Cities: no two team members have the same background, and figuring out who’s an expert in what is going to take a while – but one thing you can be sure of is that every single person here really cares about their work.”
I’m now about two months in, and can confirm that this is true on both counts. I’m thrilled to be joining a team that covers so many different areas of expertise (even if I am indeed still wrapping my head around who does what) and in which the passion people have for their work is palpable.
I joined DG Cities as a Behavioural Scientist not too long after I finished my PhD in Behavioural Economics. However, one reason for why I feel so at home in a team with a strong focus on interdisciplinarity is that my own journey into the field of Behavioural Science was far from straightforward: in fact, I still remember sitting in my dorm room in Yokohama, despairing over what to do after finishing my degree in Modern East Asian Studies when I stumbled across Behavioural Economics – a discipline that combined my background in economics with my passion for psychology and human behaviour.
Ten years and three degrees later, I was still just as passionate about Behavioural Science as I had been on that first day in Yokohama… but I was equally passionate about the decision that a career in academia is definitely not for me!
DG Cities stood out to me because of their holistic approach to problem-solving and their commitment to creativity and to continuous improvement – in other words, going beyond the mindset of ‘this is how things have always been done’ and towards a ‘how can we build on what we know and make this even better’ way of thinking.
In addition to that, their focus on amplifying the benefits of innovation while mitigating its risks is well-aligned with my past research into behavioural reasons for why so many people seem reluctant to delegate decisions to AI and other novel technologies, often despite recognising their significant advantages.
So far, I have spent most of my time working on a project about Connected and Automated Vehicles that was, luckily, just familiar enough for me to jump in with both feet – and just different enough to challenge me and teach me new skills. Given my academic background, I am very mindful of the fact that I still have a lot to learn about applying my expertise to real-world behavioural issues but I am fortunate to be surrounded by a team that is both kind and extremely capable.
Looking ahead, I am beyond excited for this upcoming year and the projects to come – after all, I did once spend half an afternoon researching Christmas tree puns, which was certainly not on my bingo card for my first month in a new job… so if there’s one thing I am certain of is that DG Cities is bound to surprise me!