John Trinkaus

John W. Trinkaus (July 17, 1925 – November 11, 2017) was an American business consultant, management and behavior researcher, and engineer. In 2003, Trinkaus was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize in literature for "meticulously collecting data and publishing more than 80 detailed academic reports about things that annoyed him." In 1961, Trinkaus obtained a Master's degree in engineering management from Baruch College, City University of New York, followed in 1976 by a doctorate in management from New York University.

Trinkaus taught in the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College in New York, eventually becoming Professor of Management and Dean, and was a Visiting Distinguished Professor at St. John's University. Trinkaus was particularly active in promoting and facilitating minority startups and studied the contribution of African Americans to the history of American management and management thought. This included, among numerous other things, studies about:

The number of items people bring to express lines at supermarkets How often drivers come to a complete stop at stop signs The average wait time to see a doctor at their office Taste preferences for brussels sprouts How many people pay for the candles in churches How many people wear baseball caps with the bill facing backwards

Many of Trinkaus's published articles are terse reports based on observation and counting the occurrence of things. The majority of his articles have been published in two journals, both founded by Robert B. Ammons: Perceptual and Motor Skills and Psychological Reports. He replicated the same studies in different years and generally found that bad habits are getting more widespread with time. Trinkaus's research earned him recognition in the media, including becoming the subject of stories by NPR, The New York Times, Newsweek, and New Scientist.