Meet Dr. Brian Wansink, Ph. D.

I want to help you be healthier and happier. My mission is to empower people, families, and communities to slim down. I create simple tools to help people eat better effortlessly at home, at work, when eating out, and at the grocery store. My approach is a painless, scalable, meet-people-where-they-are way to lose weight without using the word “can’t.

I am a behavioral scientist and an expert in helping people change what and how much then eat. I’ve helped introduce the 100-calorie pack and the Smarter Lunchroom Movement. Some of these ideas have been published in over 25 languages in the bestselling book, Mindless Eating. It shows people how to eat less and eat better without thinking too much about it. Back in 2007-2009 I was the White House-appointed Director in charge of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines (MyPlate), and I am now Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab where I and and my team are focused on developing and disseminating transforming solutions that help people eat better. Before Cornell, I was the Julian Simon Faculty Scholar and Professor of Marketing, Nutritional Sciences and Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (1997–2005) as well as teaching at the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College (1990–1994), the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam (1994–1995).

On a personal note, I have a Ph.D. from Stanford University. I am also a former amateur stand-up comic and play saxophone in a rock band and a jazz quartet. I have three young daughters and live in Ithaca, New York, where I enjoy French food and French fries.