Dr. Angela Duckworth is a preeminent psychologist renowned for her transformative work on non-cognitive determinants of success and achievement. She currently serves as the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and co-directs the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative. After earning her B.A. in Neurobiology from Harvard University in 1992, she pursued an M.Sc. in Neuroscience at Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar before completing her Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to her academic career, she gained valuable perspective through diverse roles including teaching mathematics in public schools across New York City, San Francisco, and Philadelphia, working as a McKinsey management consultant, and founding a summer school for underserved children that recently celebrated its 30th anniversary.
Dr. Duckworth's pioneering research has fundamentally reshaped understanding of psychological factors beyond IQ that predict success across multiple domains. Her groundbreaking conceptualization and empirical validation of "grit"—defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals—has demonstrated remarkable predictive power for achievement in contexts ranging from West Point cadets and National Spelling Bee finalists to novice teachers and students in urban schools. Her extensive body of work has established that grit and self-control often outperform cognitive ability in predicting success metrics, with rigorous longitudinal studies showing these traits predict outcomes even after controlling for intelligence. Her research has received extensive scholarly attention and media coverage, including features in The New York Times, National Geographic, and NPR, while her TED Talk on grit has become one of the most viewed presentations of all time.
As co-founder and former CEO of Character Lab, Dr. Duckworth has significantly advanced the science of character development through a nonprofit dedicated to translating psychological research into practical educational tools and strategies. Her work has influenced policymakers and practitioners globally, with advisory roles for the World Bank, White House, NBA and NFL teams, and Fortune 500 CEOs. Character Lab's Research Network now encompasses over 70 schools and universities, creating a robust infrastructure for advancing evidence-based character education. Recognized with a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2013 for her contributions, she continues to shape the field through her bestselling book "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" and ongoing research exploring how psychological strengths can be cultivated to help individuals and communities thrive.
