Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD

Professor at Columbia University and Director of the Center for Human Potential

Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist exploring the depths of human potential. Kaufman earned his B.S. in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and his M.Phil. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Cambridge, where he was a Gates Cambridge Scholar. He later earned his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from Yale University.

He is a professor at Columbia University and Director of the Center for Human Potential. Dr. Kaufman has authored several award-winning books including "Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined," "Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind," and "Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization." His work has been featured in various media outlets, including The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, Scientific American, and The Huffington Post.

Dr. Kaufman is also the host of The Psychology Podcast, which has received over 10 million downloads and was included in Business Insider’s list of “9 podcasts that will change how you think about human behavior.” In 2015, he was named one of “50 groundbreaking scientists who are changing the way we see the world” by Business Insider.

The focus of his work is to help all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and self-actualized life.