Survivor & Game Theory

Overview

My work with Survivor brings together mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and the study of human behavior. Through courses, campus events, and student programming, Survivor becomes a rich lens for exploring strategy, trust, cooperation, competition, risk, and decision-making under uncertainty.

This work includes the course Outwit, Outplay, Outlast: The Dynamics of Survivor, developed with T. M. Vanessa Chan-Devaere, as well as programming through the Notre Dame Survivor Club.

Core Themes

Program Philosophy

Survivor offers a vivid and accessible way to examine how people make decisions in complex social environments. The game raises questions about cooperation, betrayal, incentives, alliances, reputation, altruism, and long-term strategy.

By studying these dynamics, students can connect mathematical tools such as game theory with broader questions about human behavior, ethics, relationships, and the choices people make under pressure.

Notre Dame Survivor Club

The interdisciplinary course and campus interest surrounding Survivor eventually led to my role as faculty advisor for the Notre Dame Survivor Club, a student organization dedicated to exploring strategy, competition, community, and the social dynamics that make Survivor such a compelling cultural phenomenon.

The club hosts strategy nights, watch parties, campus competitions, and conversations connecting Survivor to leadership, decision-making, game theory, psychology, and professional life.

In recent years, the club has hosted Survivor alumni including Kelley Wentworth and Xander Hastings, who visited Notre Dame to speak with students about strategy, leadership, teamwork, decision-making under pressure, and how lessons from Survivor translate into life beyond the game.

These events have brought together students from across the University for interdisciplinary conversations about mathematics, neuroscience, ethics, social behavior, and human flourishing through the lens of Survivor.

Campus Programming

The Notre Dame Survivor Club regularly hosts campus discussions, strategy nights, and guest speakers connected to Survivor and interdisciplinary learning.

Events are designed to create spaces where students can explore leadership, competition, ethics, human behavior, and strategic thinking in ways that are both intellectually serious and deeply engaging.

My Role

I co-developed and teach an interdisciplinary course on Survivor, serve as the faculty advisor for the Notre Dame Survivor Club, and help organize campus events that bring together students, faculty, and Survivor alumni for conversations about strategy, behavior, leadership, and decision-making.