Angela Lee Duckworth is a psychologist and academic known for research on character, motivation, and perseverance, work best known to the public through her bestselling book and TED talk on grit. She is the founder and CEO of Character Lab, a nonprofit advancing scientific insights that help children thrive, co-founded in 2013 alongside KIPP schools co-founder Dave Levin and Riverdale Country School head Dominic Randolph, after the two educators sought her out on a school field trip. As the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, she also co-directs the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative and Wharton People Analytics, and co-hosts the podcast No Stupid Questions alongside Freakonomics author Stephen Dubner.
Before her research career, she founded a summer school for underserved children, later profiled as a Harvard Kennedy School case study that celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018. She was a McKinsey consultant and taught math and science in public schools in New York City, San Francisco, and Philadelphia, an experience that first pointed her toward the questions she would later study as a scientist. In 2013, she received the MacArthur Fellowship, often called the “genius grant”, and has advised the World Bank, NBA and NFL teams, and Fortune 500 CEOs. Her academic path included a Marshall Scholarship for a master’s in neuroscience at Oxford and a PhD in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, completed as a National Science Foundation fellow.
Her talks are clear, inspiring, and evidence-based, translating decades of academic research into practical strategies to improve academic and professional outcomes. Topics include the role of character, resilience, and perseverance in long-term achievement, tailored to educators, leadership teams, and audiences focused on personal and organizational development, the same audiences she has spent years studying directly in schools, sports organizations, and workplaces.
How sustained passion and determination drive long-term success, with tools for schools and workplaces, drawing on the research behind her #1 New York Times bestseller Grit and one of the most-viewed TED talks of all time.
Strategies informed by the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative to foster sustainable change in habits, attitudes, and performance, the same initiative Duckworth co-directs at Penn and Wharton, and a natural companion to the ideas she and Stephen Dubner unpack weekly on their podcast.
If you are looking for an inspiring, evidence-based speaker for your next event or conference on education, leadership, or behavioral science, you can book Angela Lee Duckworth through Thinking Heads. As one of the most prominent figures in these fields, Angela delivers a dynamic and professional presentation that ensures the best experience for your audience. Contact Thinking Heads today to learn more and secure her participation in your upcoming event.
View profile
Book Speaker
View profile
Book Speaker
View profile
Book Speaker
Contact us
