Baruch Fischhoff is a preeminent scholar whose pioneering work has fundamentally shaped the scientific understanding of human judgment and decision making under uncertainty. He currently holds the distinguished position of Howard Heinz University Professor in the Department of Engineering and Public Policy and the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology at Carnegie Mellon University, representing one of the institution's highest academic honors. Born on April 21, 1946 in Detroit, Michigan, he completed his early education in Detroit Public Schools before earning his BS in mathematics and psychology from Wayne State University. His doctoral studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem were conducted under the mentorship of Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and renowned psychologist Amos Tversky, culminating in his PhD in psychology in 1975, which established the foundation for his influential career bridging psychological science with public policy applications.
Fischhoff's groundbreaking research has revolutionized the field of risk analysis through the development of rigorous frameworks that explain how individuals perceive and respond to complex uncertainties in decision environments. His seminal work on risk communication has provided evidence-based methodologies that have transformed how government agencies and organizations convey critical information about health, safety, and environmental hazards to the public. He has authored numerous influential publications including Acceptable Risk (1981), Risk: A Very Short Introduction (2011), and Communicating Risks and Benefits: An Evidence-Based Guide (2011), which have become foundational texts in decision science. In 1976, he co-founded Decision Research, an interdisciplinary institute dedicated to analyzing decision-making during risk scenarios, establishing critical infrastructure for systematic study of human judgment in high-stakes contexts across multiple domains.
As a highly influential figure in his field, Fischhoff has held leadership positions including past President of both the Society for Judgment and Decision Making and the Society for Risk Analysis, where he received their Distinguished Achievement Award for transformative contributions. He has served on numerous high-impact advisory committees including as founding chair of the Food and Drug Administration Risk Communication Advisory Committee, member of the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Advisory Committee, and chair of the Environmental Protection Agency's Homeland Security Advisory Committee. His work continues to shape national and international approaches to risk management through ongoing contributions to National Academy of Sciences Colloquia on The Science of Science Communication. Fischhoff remains actively engaged in advancing decision science through research, mentorship, and advisory roles that bridge academic theory with real-world policy applications, ensuring his legacy as a foundational figure in understanding human judgment continues to evolve and expand.
