Dr. Tyler J. VanderWeele is a preeminent scholar in epidemiology and biostatistics who currently holds the distinguished John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professorship at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He serves as Director of the Human Flourishing Program and Co-Director of the Initiative on Health, Spirituality, and Religion, leading interdisciplinary efforts to advance the scientific understanding of human well-being. With an exceptional educational foundation spanning mathematics, philosophy, theology, finance, and biostatistics from the University of Oxford, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University, Dr. VanderWeele has cultivated a unique perspective that bridges quantitative rigor with humanistic inquiry. His academic journey, which included completing his PhD in biostatistics at Harvard following an MA in finance from the Wharton School, has equipped him with the methodological expertise to transform complex questions about human flourishing into measurable scientific inquiry. This remarkable interdisciplinary background has established him as a visionary leader whose work transcends traditional academic boundaries.
Dr. VanderWeele's methodological research has fundamentally advanced causal inference theory, providing essential frameworks for distinguishing between association and causation across biomedical and social sciences research domains. His seminal book Explanation in Causal Inference (2015) has become a foundational text for researchers, while his subsequent works Modern Epidemiology (2021) and Measuring Well-Being (2021) have further expanded the methodological toolkit for studying complex human phenomena. With more than 500 peer-reviewed publications, his empirical research has illuminated the profound connections between religious community participation and health outcomes, demonstrating how social and spiritual dimensions significantly impact psychiatric and social epidemiology. His groundbreaking studies have established measurable links between regular religious service attendance and multiple dimensions of human flourishing, including improved mental health, stronger social relationships, and increased longevity. This body of work has not only transformed academic understanding but has provided evidence-based insights with practical implications for public health policy and clinical practice worldwide.
As Director of the Human Flourishing Program, Dr. VanderWeele has created an influential interdisciplinary hub that brings together researchers from medicine, psychology, sociology, and religious studies to advance the scientific understanding of human well-being through rigorous empirical investigation. His leadership has established human flourishing as a legitimate and sophisticated field of scientific inquiry that integrates quantitative methods with philosophical and theological perspectives in unprecedented ways. Through his widely read monthly Psychology Today blog, he has made complex concepts in epidemiology and positive psychology accessible to the broader public, demonstrating his commitment to translating academic research into practical wisdom for everyday life. Dr. VanderWeele's recent work, including Handbook of Religion and Health (2023) and A Theology of Health (2024), continues to expand the scientific conversation about how various dimensions of life contribute to holistic human flourishing. Currently focusing on developing comprehensive metrics for measuring well-being across diverse populations, he remains at the forefront of efforts to create a more robust science of human flourishing that can inform both individual choices and public policy decisions.
