Sam Wang

Sam Wang, Ph.D., is a professor of neuroscience at Princeton University, and is president of the Electoral Innovation Lab, an independent nonprofit organization. He combines expertise in neuroscience, election law, and mathematical modeling to address complex challenges in both brain science and democratic systems. His pioneering work spans two distinct domains: understanding learning in the brain, and creating mathematical frameworks to strengthen democratic institutions.

Dr. Wang’s innovative application of computational and statistical methods to analyze electoral systems has influenced redistricting efforts across multiple states, and led to the creation of the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. He has served as a technical advisor to redistricting commissions in New Jersey and contributed to landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, where his mathematical standards for detecting partisan gerrymandering have been cited in major decisions. Recently, his analysis of cognitive bias in ballot design contributed to the reform of primary elections in New Jersey. His current research focuses on developing computational models to simulate electoral reforms and their effects on political polarization. This work aims to understand how systems such as ranked-choice voting can affect political behavior and democratic outcomes. In 2023 he founded the Electoral Innovation Lab, whose mission is to create a practical science of democracy repair.

Dr. Wang’s academic career began at the California Institute of Technology, where he earned a B.S. with honor in Physics, followed by a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Stanford University. Before joining Princeton in 2000, he conducted research at Duke University and Bell Labs and served as a Congressional Science Fellow in the U.S. Senate. His contributions to science and public policy have been recognized through numerous awards, including the W.M. Keck Distinguished Young Scholar award and an NSF CAREER Development Award. He has published extensively in both scientific and legal journals, including Nature, Stanford Law Review, Cell, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He leads a full-time neuroscience research laboratory at Princeton and has co-authored two popular books on neuroscience for general audiences.