Ann S. Masten, Ph.D., LP

Dr. Ann S. Masten serves as Regents Professor and Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development at the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development. Her academic credentials include a B.A. in Psychology and English from Smith College (1973) and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Minnesota (1982). Through her Coursera course "Resilience in Children Exposed to Trauma, Disaster and War: Global Perspectives," she helps professionals understand childhood resilience in challenging circumstances. Her research focuses on competence, risk, and resilience in human development, particularly studying children facing adversities including homelessness, war, migration, disaster, and poverty. As Past-President of the Society for Research in Child Development and recipient of the 2014 Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contributions to Developmental Psychology, she has significantly influenced the field of child development. Her highly-cited work, including her book "Ordinary Magic: Resilience in Development" (2014), demonstrates her lasting impact on understanding childhood resilience. Her research combines behavioral-psychosocial and neurobiological approaches to studying resilience, emphasizing that competence and resilience are present in all children given proper support and opportunities.