Jonathan Woon

I am a professor of political science and an associate dean at the University of Pittsburgh.

I study human behavior and democratic decision making. Mostly, I am fascinated by the way information, beliefs, and incentives interact to shape individual and collective choices, how electoral and legislative institutions shape those choices, and how behavioral models and experiments structure our inquiry. I have used incentivized experiments to generate insights about accountability, competitiveness, fairness, honesty, exaggeration, polarization, and probability judgments, and I have used observational, survey, and theoretical approaches to gain a better understanding of Congress, legislative process, political parties, direct democracy, presidential primaries, and voting behavior.

As an administrator overseeing graduate studies in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, I prioritize collaboration and effective communication. My approach emphasizes equity, inclusion, and creative problem-solving to foster an academic environment where a diversity of perspectives enriches the quality of our advanced degree programs. I believe this approach not only enhances excellence, but also cultivates vibrant, forward-thinking intellectual communities that equip our graduates for broad societal impact across academia, industry, government, and a variety of meaningful career paths.