Sumitava Mukherjee

B.E. (Computer Engineering)
M.Sc. (Cognitive Science)
Ph.D.

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Dr. Sumitava Mukherjee has studied diverse aspects of human judgment and decision making with a major focus on the economic psychology of value. He now takes a lead role in spreading decision research and applied behavioral science in India.

More recently he has initiated research to develop behavioral and psychological insights on water through his new research group, WaterThoughts, which started working on the World Water Day 2025. The aim of the group is to conduct both basic and applied research on how we think about water and how water impacts our minds.

Mukherjee is passionate about using behavioral science and decision making for issues that matter in India / Bharat inline with Sustainable Development Goals. He believes human thinking and decision making needs to be centrally located within our pressing discussions on environment and sustainability built on understanding the relation between environment and cognition. He is eager to work with others and with organizations on water-related topics, as well as on sustainable behavior more broadly.

At times, he ponders on alternative psychological foundations of behavioral economics for a better world.

Mukherjee is a member of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA), and the Cognitive Science Society (USA). His past memberships and involvments include being a member of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making (SJDM) USA; Association for Psychological Science (APS) USA, International Affiliate member of the American Psychological Association (APA), professional member in Association for Computing Machinery (ACM); member of the National Academy of Psychology (NAOP) India, and a Life-member of Indian Science Congress. He has served on the executive committee of NAOP India and of Cultural Evolution Society, USA. He was awarded the Emerging Psychologist award in 2014 and the Young Psychologist award in 2020 by NAOP India. IIT Gandhinagar awarded him the Outstanding researcher award in 2014. He has been a Visiting Fellow at Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) fpr 2025-2026.

Dr. Sumitava Mukherjee has always been passionate about outreach. He was among the first to initiate and spread research on Judgment and Decision Making (JDM) in India including having initiated the Annual Decision Making conference in India from 2022 (see DecisionMaking.org.in); talks to various stakeholders and organizations about decision making and behavioral science; and is looking to connect with young minds to share the important aspects of thinking in daily life.

Institute / Department Responsibilities

• Member, Institute Standing Committee for Academic Outreach activities 2025-26
• Member, Bhagwan Birsa Munda Cell (BBMC) at IIT Delhi
• Member, Department Exchange and Outreach Committee, Dept of HSS

• Member, Bhagwan Birsa Munda Cell (BBMC) - towards actionable inputs in policy making decisions for Ministry of Tribal Affairs
• Member, Institute Alumni Affairs committee
• Exchange and Outreach Coordinator including International relations, Dept of HSS representative
• Department Time-table incharge
• Member, Department Budget Committee

• Exchange and Outreach Coordinator including International relations, Dept of HSS representative
• Department Time-table incharge
• Member, Department Budget Committee
• Member, Institute Alumni Affairs committee

• Co-ordinator, Cognitive Science M.Sc. Programme (along with Dr. Purnima Singh)
• Lab Co-ordinator, Cognitive and Behavioral Science Lab, Dept of HSS
• Member, Department Budget Committee
• Member, Department Postdoc Committee

• Co-ordinator, Cognitive Science M.Sc. Programme (along with Dr. Purnima Singh)
• Lab Co-ordinator, Cognitive and Behavioral Science Lab, Dept of HSS
• Member, Board of Academic Programmes (BAP), IIT Delhi (Department Nominee)
• Member, Department Research Committee (DRC) for Dept of HSS
• Member, Department Budget Committee
• Member, Department IT Committee

• Member, Department Postdoc hiring committee [from 01 Sep 2020]
• Member, Department IT and web management committee [from 01 Sep 2020]
• Member, Department Budget Committee [from 01 Sep 2020]
• Member, Adhoc committee for HSS department proposals for IIT Delhi Institute of Eminence (IoE) and 2030 IIT Delhi Strategy initiative
• Secretary, Department Research Committee (DRC) for Dept of HSS [upto 31 Aug 2020]
• Joint Co-ordinator, Cognitive and Behavioral Science Lab, Dept of HSS

• Secretary, Department Research Committee (DRC) for Dept of HSS
• Joint Co-ordinator, Cognitive and Behavioral Science Lab, Dept of HSS
• Institute Waste Management Committee member
• Proctorial committee member (Jwalamukhi Hostel: Jul-Aug)
• Faculty Volunteer - Convocations