BRAINS

About BRAINS

The Behavioural Research Alliance for Impact and Networks at Sheffield (BRAINS) is an interdisciplinary research network at the University of Sheffield dedicated to understanding and influencing human behaviour for societal and organisational good. 

Launched by the Faculty of Social Sciences, BRAINS unites scholars from Economics, Management, Psychology, and Sociological Studies to address real-world challenges in decision-making, sustainability, inclusivity, and wellbeing. Building on Sheffield’s long-standing excellence in behavioural and experimental research, BRAINS serves as an interdisciplinary platform for generating high-impact insights, shaping policy, and developing innovative applications locally, nationally, and globally. 

Director: Prof. Subhasish M. Chowdhury (Economics).

Co-Director: Dr. Ozlem Arikan (Management).

What we do

Our mission

BRAINS aims to make the University of Sheffield a leading hub for behavioural research by:

• Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the social sciences and beyond.
• Creating partnerships with public, private, and voluntary sector organizations.
• Developing major research grants that address real-world problems through behavioural science.
• Supporting early-career researchers through mentoring, collaboration, and visibility.
• Embedding Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all aspects of our work.

Our activities

BRAINS coordinates a wide range of activities to connect people and ideas:

• Online seminars bringing together leading academics and practitioners in behavioural science.
• In-person workshops and symposia for networking, knowledge exchange, and project development.
• Grant scoping and writing support that identifies opportunities and builds teams for large interdisciplinary funding bids.
• Collaborative projects that apply behavioural insights to policy and social challenges.

Get involved with the network

BRAINS welcomes academics, practitioners, policymakers, and research students interested in behavioural research and its applications.

Members gain access to:

• a cross-disciplinary network for collaboration.
• regular events and seminars.
• opportunities to engage with external partners and develop new projects.
• support for grant applications and research impact.

Collaborate with us!

Whether you’re a government body, NGO, business, or public service provider, we’re eager to collaborate. Find out how your organisation can work with BRAINS on behavioural insights and interventions.

Contact details

If you would like to join or collaborate with BRAINS, please contact Prof. Subhasish Chowdhury by emailing subhasish.chowdhury@sheffield.ac.uk