Nathaniel Barr

Background

About Nathaniel Barr

I am an expert in the human mind and behavior, and a Professor of Creativity and Creative Thinking at Sheridan College. I bring this expertise to bear in industry as an advisor, consultant, and speaker, connecting psychology, behavior change, and creativity to organizational and societal challenges, guided by the belief that understanding human nature is central to addressing our collective problems. In the academic realm, I am an award winning lecturer and researcher, and have published both scientific and popular articles on a wide variety of topics including creativity, innovation, applied behavioral science, how humans offload thinking to technology, how best to align human and artificial intelligence in the workforce, fake news and bullshit, grit, driving sustainable behaviour, creativity education, the future of education, AI and art/creativity, and the human mind in the context of this era’s most pressing challenges. My research has been covered extensively in the media, including the Washington Post, Scientific American, Wall Street Journal, NPR and CBC. My research program has been supported by several federal research grants aimed at melding behavioral science and creativity to solve societal challenges. At Sheridan, I teach courses and develop curriculum focused on creativity, innovation, and other skills of the future, preparing learners to thrive in an era of rapid technological advance and great uncertainty. In my advisory and consulting, I've contributed to business growth, thought leadership and partnerships, strategic advisory, solving a range of behavior change challenges, and the generation of novel research, across a wide range of sectors. I often deliver workshops and keynotes for the public, nonprofit, and private sectors that showcase why a deep understanding of the human mind and behavior is integral to success across a range of domains and outcomes.