Kruti Vekaria

About Kruti Vekaria

I am a collaborative and curious researcher and behavioral scientist. With 14+ years of research experience, I have developed a unique expertise in distilling key business insights from complex data. I am passionate about bridging the gap between academic research and real world challenges with a human-centered approach. I have developed and applied creative behavioral science solutions across domains, including financial services, healthcare, robotics, automotive, retail, and organizational dynamics. My interests lie at the intersection of behavioral economics, psychology, and neuroscience. I have a deep understanding of the cognitive and behavioral underpinnings of human decision-making. I obtained a PhD in Psychology with a focus on Cognitive Neuroscience and Behavioral Economics from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor\'s degree in Economics and Neuroscience from the University of Southern California. I have published papers in top scientific journals, including Nature Human Behaviour, Scientific Reports, Nature Communications, Cortex, and Psychological Science. I have also been granted 4 patents for my behavioral science and innovation work at Toyota R&D.If you would like to chat about the transition from academia to industry, feel free to reach out! I am always happy to share career insights with others who are looking to make the leap.

Experience

1. Senior Manager, User and Behavioral Insights

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   Feb 2024 — Present

   Managing a team of researchers to effectively execute behavioral insights and user experience research projects • Continuing to serve as a behavioral science subject matter expert, keeping up with the latest academic, industry, and competitive research and providing strategic thought leadership across relevant lines of business and key organizational priorities (including integration strategy)• Leveraging agile survey/usability tools and qualitative/quantitative research methods to generate actionable insights for consumer banking stakeholders across the organization• Conducting and championing accessibility research for digital and design products, ensuring compliance with ADA regulations while aiming to create seamless experiences for all customers• Scaling the use of Generative AI for novel research use cases and data modeling projects with measurable business outcomes, including survey development/analysis, persona creation and targeted message creation• Providing behavioral science expertise for integrated financial education banking product features, including budgeting and savings nudges

Education

• University of Southern California

  Bachelor's degree, Neuroscience and Economics

• Georgetown University

  Master's degree, Psychology

• Georgetown University

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Psychology - Cognitive Neuroscience - Behavioral Economics