Dr. Wendel is a behavioral scientist who studies how digital products can help individuals manage their money more effectively. He currently serves as the Head of Behavioral Science at Morningstar, a leading provider of independent investment research. At Morningstar, he leads a team of behavioral scientists and practitioners to conduct original research on savings and investing behavior, applies behavioral insights to Morningstar’s products and services, and frequently speaks with the media and at conferences around the world on these topics. Stephen has authored three books on applied behavioral science: Designing for Behavior Change (November 2013), Improving Employee Benefits (September 2014), and Spiritual Design (September 2019). Outside of work, he is also the Founder and Chair of the non-profit Action Design Network, which helps over 15,000 practitioners apply behavioral research to product development through an annual conference and monthly events in fifteen cities across North America. Stephen holds a BA from U.C. Berkeley, a Master’s from Johns Hopkins-SAIS, and a PhD from the University of Maryland, where he analyzed the dynamics of behavioral change over time. He has two wonderful kids, who don’t care about behavioral science at all.
