American democracy has a formidable champion in Dr. Sam Wang, Princeton University Professor of Neuroscience and founder of The Electoral Innovation Lab. With its mission to use science to maximize voter power, Sam and his team apply data-driven methods to the study of US voting structures, with the ultimate goal of leveling the electoral playing field. A leading expert on redistricting, representation, and election reform, Sam challenges governments and advocacy groups to maximize individual voter empowerment, particularly in state and local elections. Contributing to landmark state and federal cases including the US Supreme Court decisions, Sam is cited for his political science analytics into gerrymandering and cognitive bias in ballot design.

Sam shared his reasons pursuing fair representation for all:

It's time to build Democracy 2.0. We need democracy to reflect the changes in our society over the last few decades. The rule system that comprise our government needs to adapt to modern times. For example, gerrymandering—the United States has some of the worst gerrymandering among major democracies. You might think voters pick their politicians but often in our current system, politicians pick their voters. Gerrymandering is a serious issue that can vary by state, but in each case there are ways to change the system that will make it more representative, and more responsive.

Renowned for big picture insights based on complex brain signals, Sam translates data into headlines across present-day pivot points, propelled by equal parts problem-solving and public service. With degrees from California Institute of Technology and Stanford University, plus academic appointments at both Harvard and Duke, Sam defies the usual wonky stereotypes. From his family legacy forged by both grandfathers who fought against Mao Tse-Tung and communism in China, and later marked by his parents as working librarians, Sam grew up surrounded with reverence for learning, education, democracy, and fairness. Along the way, Sam rounded out his manner with lively pursuits, most notably as a college radio disc jockey, distinguished by a memorable on-air interview with the hydrogen bomb inventor Edward Teller. He reports his favorite political movie is Mean Girls.

Sam pursues research in diverse disciplines to improve our world: analyzing infectious diseases, strengthening democracy, understanding childhood learning and development, and even ranking dog breeds by intelligence. Throughout, all these missions are connected by data—Sam uses cutting-edge neuroscience and math-based frameworks to build evidence-based, even myth-busting, solutions to big challenges.

Curious and high-energy, Sam's wide-ranging interests often result in major outputs beyond headlines. In bioscience his lab uses neural imaging to search for clues to the causes of autism. He founded the Princeton Election Consortium to develop statistical models predicting presidential and Senate results based on polling. An author, his books include Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys But Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life, and Welcome to Your Child's Brain: How the Mind Grows from Conception to College.

Outgoing and quick-witted, Sam is a delightful speaker for both keynote and audience Q&A sessions. His eclectic interests plus study of the brain ensure his first-rate skills connecting with audiences—Sam thinks through how to translate scientific research into straightforward and interesting sound bites easy for everyone to understand and take in.