Laura L. Carstensen

Laura L. Carstensen is Professor of Psychology at Stanford University where she holds the Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professorship in Public Policy and is a Professor by courtesy of Health Policy. She serves as founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity and is a member of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Her distinguished academic career spans over three decades, with continuous funding from the National Institute on Aging for more than 30 years, and includes leadership roles as Chair of the Department of Psychology (2004-2006) and Director of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (1997-2001).

Her educational background includes:

• B.S. from the University of Rochester (1978)
• M.A. from West Virginia University (1980)
• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University (1983)
• Honorary Doctorates from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (2012) and the University of Rochester (2024)

Carstensen's pioneering research focuses on the motivational, cognitive, and emotional aspects of aging, most notably through her development of Socioemotional Selectivity Theory. This theory explains age-related differences in social preferences and emotional experience as a function of perceived time horizons, demonstrating that as people perceive time as more limited, they prioritize emotionally meaningful goals and relationships. Her work has transformed understanding of emotional well-being across the lifespan, revealing that emotional regulation often improves with age despite cognitive declines.

Her recent publications (2024-2025) show an expansion of her research into technology's role in aging, socioeconomic factors affecting later life, and intergenerational relationships. She has increasingly integrated neuroscientific methods to examine the biological underpinnings of emotional processing in older adults while addressing pressing societal issues related to longevity. Her work now spans multiple disciplines including psychology, neuroscience, public policy, and technology design.

Carstensen's scientific contributions have been widely recognized through numerous prestigious awards:

• Elected member of the National Academy of Medicine (2016)
• Elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023)
• Guggenheim Fellowship (2003)
• Kleemeier Award from the Gerontological Society of America (2014)
• Distinguished Mentor Awards from both the Gerontological Society of America and American Psychological Association
• MERIT Awards from the National Institute on Aging (2005, 2016)
• Honorary Doctorate from University of Rochester (2024)

As an advisor and mentor, Carstensen has guided numerous doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows including Enna Chen, Anna Pot, Ryan Moore, and Kendall Parks. Her research has received continuous funding from the National Institute on Aging for over 30 years, reflecting the significance and impact of her work. She has served on influential committees including the MacArthur Foundation's Research Network on an Aging Society and as a commissioner on the Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity. Her book "A Long Bright Future" has shaped public understanding of longevity's opportunities.

Through the Stanford Center on Longevity, which she founded and directs, Carstensen leads a multidisciplinary initiative focused on ensuring that the added years of the 21st century are high-quality years. The center brings together experts from diverse fields to address challenges and opportunities of increased human longevity, developing innovative solutions for lifelong health, financial security, and social engagement across the lifespan.