Susan Mangan

Susan Mangan is a postdoctoral research associate with the Thrive Center for Human Development. As a positive developmental psychologist, Dr. Mangan is interested in how we, as individuals and as a society, can lead happier, more fulfilling lives. She is focusing her research efforts on positive youth development, gratitude, and joy. She is co-investigator for the Thrive Center's Shades of Gratitude Project and Compassion International Study of Positive Youth Development.

As a scholar more broadly, Dr. Mangan's research focuses on positive psychology interventions, well-being, psychological need satisfaction, and emerging adulthood. She also has a keen interest in evaluation, community program development, and measurement development, as evidenced by publications such as the Claremont Purpose Scale—a measure that assesses the three dimensions of purpose among adolescents. Dr. Mangan has been a longtime fan of the Thrive Center and is excited to contribute to its ongoing success. In addition to her research with the Center, she is also currently a visiting professor at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.