Julia Galef

About

American writer, speaker, and thinker best known for her specialty in rationality, decision-making, and critical thinking. She made a name for herself as the host of the podcast Rationally Speaking beginning in 2010. She also authored the book The Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't, which was published in 2021. She co-founded the nonprofit Center for Applied Rationality (CFAR) in early 2012.

Before Fame

She acquired her bachelor's degree in statistics from Columbia University in 2005. She began her professional career working in research by partnering with social science professors at Columbia, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology before transitioning into writing and public speaking. She initiated her pursuit of a PhD in economics; however, she ultimately decided to step away from academia and focus on her work in journalism and science communication. 

Trivia

She has received widespread acclaim and millions of views on her TED Talk titled "Why You Think You're Right - Even if You're Wrong," which she delivered in 2016.

Family Life

She has a brother named Jesse.

Associated With

Her program the Rationally Speaking Podcast has featured special guests including Neil deGrasse Tyson and Lawrence Krauss.