Jonatan Pallesen is a societal data analyst and data scientist with a PhD in Statistical Genetics and 15 years of experience across research communities and organizational IT teamwork. Jonatan enjoys applying data science to real-world research questions, helping collaborators design robust evaluations and uncover insights from complex datasets. He aims to be helpful to humanity, bringing a unique blend of expertise in statistics, data science and AI to the forefront of scientific research and organizational tech innovation. Through his publications, research, thought leadership and innovation projects for organizations, Jonatan applies data science towards improved societal wellbeing and better individual life outcomes for as many humans - and animals - as possible. His societal analyses reach 100 million views per year on X (former Twitter). With a professional career dedicated to the development of society, Jonatan Pallesen has contributed to our understanding of how genetic factors interact with environmental influences to shape human traits and how this is relevant for our approach to societal improvement for all. Recently, he has focused on driving organizational tech innovation by developing an AI model evaluation framework and optimizing retrieval augmented generative (RAG) AI models to free up capacity for human creativity and innovation. An appreciative follower has called him "a Nostradamus of our time." A critical follower has called him "an animal welfare steak promoter." Jonatan responded publicly to the critique: "I eat many steaks."
Selected Collaborations
Howdy Care: Mental Health Service Evaluation
With support from the Danish Innovation Fund's Innobooster grant, the organization Howdy Care was able to secure Jonatan's specialized consultancy support in scientifically evaluating the effect of their mental health service offering, which includes stress prevention and care services to several of Denmark's largest organizations. Jonatan's evaluation gave Howdy Care the data they needed to make innovation decisions and most effectively help support national mental health.
Confederation of Danish Industries: AI Innovation Project
Spotted the potential in developing a Retrieval Augmented Generative (RAG) AI model for the Confederation of Danish Industries member services. He drove the internal funding process, as well as the design and development project of the model together with his team. Employees in the Confederation of Danish Industries can now look up historical data from across the organization's archives in seconds and provide precise legal answers to member organizations even more efficiently.
Aarhus University: Genetics Research Project
Provided statistical data consultancy to support an academic research project within genetics, helping the research team strengthen the design of their analyses and effectively interpret finding results. He created clear finding visualizations to make the complex results accessible to both researchers and wider audiences.
Work Environment Research Project
Applied research expertise in data analysis of a work enviroment research project to ensure the robustness of statistical evaluations. He contributed to methodological design adjustments, data preparation, and data visualization work that allowed the research team to communicate their found insights on workplace health and safety effectively.
Research & Publications
ResearchGate Profile
Research publications that Jonatan Pallesen has contributed to on statistical genetics, including studies on psychiatric genetics, genome-wide association studies, and quantitative genetic methodologies.
PhD Defense
Jonatan Pallesen's PhD thesis on association studies of genomic regions, genes, gene sets, and runs of homozygosity in psychiatric disorders.
Articles & Podcasts
Podcast: Bo Winegard & Jonatan Pallesen reveal the literal meaning of life
The episode explores the meaning of life with Jonatan Pallesen and Bo Winegard, Executive Editor of Aporia, PhD in social psychology from Florida State University. They dive into coalitional value theory and the fascinatingly human topic of status in society.
Podcast: On intellectualism in academia with Michael Huemer
What if most university students are faking intellectualism? Jonatan Pallesen speaks with Professor Michael Huemer (ethics, metaethics, epistemology, and political philosophy) from the University of Colorado, Boulder. The guys discuss advocacy, academic integrity, and touch upon their shared passion regarding the questionable ethics of factory farming of animals - with each their suggestions for better societal designs.
Role in research critique of Former Harvard President Claudine Gay and others
The article examines the controversy of Harvard's former president Claudine Gay, who resigned due to plagiarism allegations. Jonatan Pallesen played a role in bringing attention to additional, methodological and ethical issues with Gay's research, shortly before her resignation. Jonatan Pallesen has also critiqued specific research methods in papers by Dan Ariely, Claudia Goldin and Cecilia Rouse, as well as specific science and ethics related editorial decisions of Laura Helmuth.
Writing & Analysis
X (formerly Twitter)
Helpful analysis and visualization of topics in science, economics, and demography.
Substack Newsletter
Helpful insights on heterodox perspectives in science and society.
Heterodox Thinking
Platform for exploring helpful, unconventional perspectives and analyses.
Research Website
Helpful articles on data science, statistics, research analysis, cocktail recipes and an AI Song Quiz.
Professional Background
Curriculum Vitae
Extensive experience in data science, statistics, programming (R, Python, Julia), evaluation design, survey design, research design, Bayesian modelling, and recent experience in driving organizational tech innovation through development of retrieval augmented generative AI models.
LinkedIn Profile
Professional background as a data scientist with expertise in statistics, genomics and AI-based innovation.