Eric Hekler, PhD

Dr. Eric Hekler, PhD, is the Director of the Center for Wireless & Population Health Systems within the Qualcomm Institute at University of California, San Diego (UCSD), an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine & Public Health and faculty of the Design Lab at UCSD.  There are three interdependent themes to his research for advancing. 1) methods for optimizing adaptive behavioral interventions; 2) methods and processes to help people help themselves, particularly N-of-1 methods: and 3) research pipelines to equitably improve people’s health efficiently. He is internationally recognized as an expert in the area of digital health. 

Tracks:  Health Behavior

Dr. Hekler is a transdisciplinary researcher, educator, and practitioner as his work is at the intersection of clinical health psychology (original training), human-centered design, public health (my primary affiliation), and control systems engineering. Grounded in his initial training in design from the d.School when he was a postdoc at Stanford, he has a long track-record of engaging and advanced methods in human-centered design. He publishes regularly in top-tier venues for design. His research is broadly focused on advancing methods in the design, creation, optimization, evaluation, and reuse of digital health technologies. Central to this work is to contribute towards a form of applied science that facilitates equitable participation, contribution, and benefit, with technology being used, when appropriate, to support this broader effort.  He has over 120 publications that span the many disciplines he contributes and has an active federal and foundation funding. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the area of digital health.

  • Physical Activity
  • Health Informatics Information Technology