Angela Duckworth

Angela Duckworth is a psychologist and best-selling author renowned for her pioneering research on grit, self-control, and the role of non-IQ competencies in predicting success across academic, professional, and personal domains. She is the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where she also serves as faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative and founding faculty co-director of Wharton People Analytics.

Duckworth’s research focuses on the psychological traits that drive achievement, particularly grit and self-control, and spans diverse populations, including West Point cadets, National Spelling Bee finalists, novice teachers, salespeople, and students. Her work has been instrumental in reshaping how educators, business leaders, and policymakers think about human potential and performance.

A 2013 MacArthur Fellow, Duckworth has advised the World Bank, Fortune 500 CEOs, and professional sports teams including those in the NBA and NFL. Prior to her academic career, she was a McKinsey & Company management consultant and an award-winning math and science teacher. She also founded a summer school for underserved children, which was later profiled as a case study by Harvard Kennedy School and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023. She is the co-founder of Character Lab, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to advancing scientific insights that help children thrive.

Duckworth’s TED Talk is among the most viewed of all time, and her book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, is a #1 New York Times bestseller. Blending personal narrative, cutting-edge science, and compelling stories from high-achievers, Grit explores what drives success and why talent alone is never enough.

She earned her undergraduate degree in Advanced Studies Neurobiology from Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude. As a Marshall Scholar, she completed an MSc with Distinction in Neuroscience from the University of Oxford. She later earned her PhD in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship.