Rate My Professor Ellen Langer

Ellen Langer is a Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. She earned her Ph.D. in Social and Clinical Psychology from Yale University and joined the Harvard faculty in 1977. In 1981, she became the first woman to receive tenure in Harvard’s Department of Psychology.

Professor Langer is recognized for her pioneering research on mindfulness, defined as a process of actively noticing new things without reliance on meditation. Her work explores the effects of mindfulness on health, decision-making, aging, stress, education, and business. She has authored numerous books, including the bestseller Mindfulness and The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health. Langer has published over 200 research articles and 13 books in total. Her contributions have earned her three Distinguished Scientist Awards, the Staats Award for Unifying Psychology, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Liberty Science Genius Award. Students have frequently selected her as one of Harvard’s favorite professors. The Langer Lab continues to investigate mindfulness across domains including health and innovation.