The João Goulart Foundation Institute will hold the Latin American Behavioral Sciences Conference this Wednesday (13/11), an exclusive NudgeRio event, in parallel with the G20, at the Rio Operations Center (COR). The event, which has as its main objective to highlight Latin America as a hub of intellectual and practical production in Behavioral Sciences, taking into account the singularities of the continent, is exclusive to guests and experts on the subject.
The conference will bring together leading institutions and professionals to present, discuss and disseminate scientific and technical production on the topic. In addition, a multilateral document will be signed that will promote knowledge management and intersectoral, interdisciplinary and international collaboration in the field of Behavioral Sciences in Latin America.
With the G20 taking place in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro has become the epicenter of global discussions on economic and social cooperation, attracting the attention of authorities and experts from around the world. Behavioral Economics and Behavioral Sciences have gained increasing prominence in the 21st century, with important milestones such as the Nobel Prizes of Daniel Kahneman and Richard Thaler, and their applications in governments, such as the creation of NudgeRio, the first Nudge unit in governments in Brazil, in 2013.
The conference is a unique opportunity for institutions to contribute to the construction of joint guidelines in the field of Behavioral Sciences in Latin America, explains the president of the João Goulart Foundation Institute, Rafaela Bastos.
– The Latin American Conference on Behavioral Sciences is essential for implementing innovative strategies that optimize resources and increase the effectiveness of public policies, always with the goal of improving the lives of citizens. By sharing knowledge and experiences online, we evaluate our impact on people’s lives. At the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro, we disseminate behavioral science through the nudge methodology, training leaders and managers, and implementing projects that generate concrete results.
The Latin American Behavioral Sciences Conference will include the following sessions: “The beginning of the Behavioral Science movement in Latin America: Presentation of Cases”; discussion panel “What are Latin America’s contributions to Economics and Behavioral Sciences?”, round of presentation of proposals for guidelines for technical cooperation for the production of knowledge on Behavioral Sciences in Latin America and voting on the guidelines.
Speakers at the Latin American Behavioral Sciences Conference:
Rafaela Bastos – President of the João Goulart Foundation Institute, Head of NudgeRio and LABFaz – City Hall of Rio de Janeiro – Public Manager, Geographer, specialist in Project Management, Behavioral Economics and Branding. Marketing Director of LIESA-RJ | Rio Carnaval. Vice-President of Special Projects at GRES Estação Primeira de Mangueira. Board Member of the France-Brazil Chamber of Commerce. Member of the Forbes BLK Community and Master's student in International Policy Analysis and Management.
Vera Rita de Melo Ferreira – PhD in Social Psychology (thesis in Economic Psychology), in the field since 1994 (professor, consultant and speaker); 1st Latin American President – IAREP-International Association for Research in Economic Psychology (22-24). Past-President of IAREP-International Association for Research in Economic Psychology.
Michael Hallsworth – PhD, Chief Behavioral Scientist at The Behavioral Insights Team, where he has been applying behavioral science to public policy for over 15 years. He co-authored the book Behavioral Insights (2020) and has developed important frameworks in behavioral science. He also holds academic positions at Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Antonio Claret Campos Filho – Member of the CINCO team – General Coordination of Innovation and Behavioral Sciences of the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services. He is a psychologist and holds a master’s degree in Social Psychology from UFRJ. He completed his doctorate at the National School of Public Health at Fiocruz. He has been a member of the Public Policy and Government Management Specialist career since 2000, and has held senior management and advisory positions in several agencies of the Federal Public Administration, including advisor to the Secretariat for Assessment and Information Management – SAGI, management director of the Bolsa Família Program, special advisor to the Minister of Social Development and Fight against Hunger, and advisor and chief of staff to the Minister of Agrarian Development. Between 2011 and 2015, he was seconded to the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro, where he held the positions of Undersecretary for Integration of Social Programs and Secretary of State for Social Assistance and Human Rights. He worked as a researcher at IPEA and as an associate at the International Policy Center for Inclusive Growth. At Enap, he served as General Coordinator of Stricto Sensu Postgraduate Studies and General Coordinator of Innovation and is a faculty member of professional master's and doctoral programs. He also teaches courses related to the application of behavioral sciences in public policies.
Gabriel Inchausti – Master in Behavioral Sciences from the London School of Economics, economist from the University of the Republic in Uruguay with a specialization in Corporate Finance and Strategy. He is a professor at ESPM, and a researcher, speaker and consultant on topics related to Behavioral Economics and Strategy. Previously, he was director of an international software group, CEO of a major animal protein group based in São Paulo and General Manager and Associate Director of a media group in Uruguay.
Manuel Bonduki – PhD in Public Administration and Government from FGV-EAESP and professor at Insper, he has worked in the federal government for 15 years in several ministries as a Specialist in Public Policies and Government Management, with experience in the areas of innovation in public administration, digital government, education and the relationship between federalism and implementation of public policies. In 2020, he published the book “Behavioral Sciences and Public Policies: the use of SIMPLES MENTE in innovation projects”, co-authored with Antonio Claret and João Sigora.
Mary MacLennan – Senior Advisor on Behavioural Science in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General. She also leads the UN Behavioural Science Group within the UN Innovation Network, promoting the integration of academic evidence to apply behavioural science to real-world challenges. This has included key positions in government behavioural science teams and as an expert advisor to the OECD and UN Women, among other international organisations. She is currently a Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics.
