Robert Emmons, Ph.D.

Trustee

Robert Emmons is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, Davis where he has taught since 1988.

He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the author of over 250 original publications in peer-reviewed journals or chapters and has written or edited eight books, including  Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, Gratitude Works! A Twenty-One Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity and The Little Book of Gratitude.  A leader in the positive psychology movement, Dr. Emmons is Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology.  His research focuses on the psychology of gratitude and joy as they relate to human flourishing and well-being. A frequent speaker at professional conferences and public events, Dr. Emmons has guest lectured at Yale, Oxford, Stanford, and the University of Michigan. He has been PI or Co-PI for over $15M in research funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, the John M. Templeton Foundation, and the National Institute for Disability Research and Rehabilitation. His ground-breaking work on gratitude 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, Consumer Reports, and the Wall Street Journal.