Courtesy UC Davis

Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis where he has taught since 1988.  He received his Ph.D. degree in Personality and Social Ecology from the University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign, and his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Maine.   He is the author of over 130 original publications in peer‑reviewed journals or chapters and has written or edited five books, including The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns (Guilford Press), The Psychology of Gratitude (Oxford University Press), and THANKS! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier (Houghton-Mifflin).  A leader in the positive psychology movement, Dr. Emmons is founding editor and editor-in-chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology.  He is Past-President of the American Psychological Association’s Division 36, The Psychology of Religion. His research focuses on personal goals and purpose, spirituality, the psychology of gratitude and thankfulness, and subjective well‑being.  Dr. Emmons has received research funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, the John Templeton Foundation, and the National Institute for Disability Research and Rehabilitation. His research has been featured in dozens of popular media outlets including the New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News and World Report, Newsweek, Time, NPR, PBS, Christianity Today, Consumer Reports, and Reader’s Digest.