Psychologist Laurie Santos to speak about science of happiness during virtual lecture hosted by Oregon State

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Nationally acclaimed psychologist, professor and podcast host Laurie Santos will talk about the science of happiness on April 4 as part of Oregon State University’s Provost’s Lecture Series.

Santos, the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology and head of Silliman College at Yale University, is an expert on human cognition and biases that impede better choices. Her course, “Psychology and the Good Life,” is Yale’s most popular course ever and has been taken by over 3.3 million people to date. Her podcast, “The Happiness Lab,” has been downloaded over 65 million times.

The lecture will be held via Zoom at 6 p.m. It is free to watch but registration is required. Following her talk, Santos will be joined by Dr. Brian Primack, dean of Oregon State’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences, who will moderate a question-and-answer discussion.

Santos studies how behavioral change through positive psychology can lead to a happy and fulfilling life.

She speaks to how people are biologically programmed to be motivated by sex, deeply influenced by other people — and repeat mistakes.

Her course, “Psychology and the Good Life,” teaches stu­dents what the science of psychology says about making wiser choices and living a life that’s happier and more fulfilling.

This lecture is the second in the 2022-23 Provost’s Lecture Series. The Provost’s Lecture Series is a partnership of the Office of the Provost and the OSU Foundation. It brings renowned thinkers, writers, scientists, artists and leaders to OSU to engage, challenge and inspire.