Leidy Klotz

Klotz is currently a professor of Engineering^[10] and Architecture^[11] at the University of Virginia. He studies and teaches the science of design, and, in 2019, co-chaired a Nature Sustainability Expert Panel on this topic.^[12] He has published articles in Nature^[13] and Science^[14] and, as of 2022, has an h-index of 24.^[15] His research has been covered by The Washington Post,^[16] The Wall Street Journal,^[17] The World Economic Forum,^[18] Grist,^[19] Scientific American,^[20] and newspapers around the world.^[21]

IN A GOOD PLACE: How the Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive (Little, Brown, 2026).^[22] In a Good Place draws on evidence across psychology, architecture, and more to show how deliberate engagement with physical spaces can reliably enhance well-being. The book argues that physical environments are one of the best ways to meet basic psychological needs for agency, competence, and connection.

SUBTRACT: The Untapped Science of Less (Flatiron Books, 2021).^[23] Subtract has received various accolades.^{[24],[25],[26],[27],[28],[29]} The book builds from Klotz's research showing that the human mind tends to add before taking away, even to our detriment. The first half of the book discusses biological, cultural, and socio-economic explanations for this tendency. The second half of the book offers ways to overcome harmful subtraction neglect, drawing from science and from subtracting examples and exemplars such as: Maya Lin, Elinor Ostrom, The Embarcadero Freeway, Balance Bikes, Anna Keichline, and Bruce Springsteen.

He also wrote Sustainability through Soccer with University of California Press in 2016.^[30]

• "People Systematically Overlook Subtractive Changes."^[31] Nature. 592. 258–261. Adams, G., Converse, B., Hales, A., and Klotz, L. (2021)
• "Embracing Behavioral Science."^[32] The Bridge – National Academy of Engineering. 50 (4). Klotz, L., and Pickering, J. (2020)
• "Beyond rationality in engineering design for sustainability."^[33] Nature Sustainability. 1: 225–233. Klotz, L., Weber, E., Johnson, E., Shealy, E., Hernandez, M., and Gordon, B. (2018)
• "Sustainability as a route to broaden participation in engineering."^[34] Journal of Engineering Education, 103(1): 137–153. Klotz, L., et al. (2014).
• "A framework for sustainable whole systems design."^[35] Design Studies. 33(5) 456–479. Blizzard, J., and Klotz, L. (2012).

Klotz writes about research and design for popular outlets such as The Washington Post,^[36] Fast Company,^[37] and Harvard Business Review.^[38]

Klotz frequently appears on top science podcasts and radio shows such as Freakonomics Radio,^[39] Mindscape with Sean Carroll,^[40] the Michael Shermer Show,^[41] and PRI The World.^[42]

• Audio Interview
• Leidy Klotz publications indexed by Google Scholar