Kathy Hirsh-Pasek is a Professor of Psychology at Temple University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. She is a current board member of ZERO TO THREE.
Contributions to the Field
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek was declared a “scientific entrepreneur” by the American Association of Psychology. Writing 16 books and 250+ publications, she served as President of the International Congress for Infant Studies and was on the Governing Board of the Society for Research in Child Development. Her Einstein Never Used Flashcards won the Book for a Better Life Award in 2003 with her Becoming Brilliant (2016) reaching the NYTimes Best Sellers List in education. Her newest book Making Schools Work came out in November of 2022.
Ms. Hirsh-Pasek has won awards from every psychological and educational society for her basic science and translational work designed to bridge basic science and educational impact. A founding member of the Latin American School for Educational and Cognitive Neuroscience, she spearheaded a global network of scientists devoted to educational science. Co-founder of the global Learning Science Exchange Fellowship, she brings together scientists, journalists, policy makers and entertainers, to put learning science in the hands of educators.
In 2021, she was elected as a member of the National Academy of Education. Her initiative Playful Learning Landscapes re-imagines cities and public squares as places with science-infused designs that enhance academic and social opportunities. Ms. Hirsh-Pasek frequently comments for the press (e.g. NPR, New York Times) and blogs for the Brookings Institution.
Affiliations
- Founding Member, Latin American School for Educational and Cognitive Neuroscience
- Co-founder, Global Learning Science Exchange Fellowship
- Member, National Academy of Education
- Member, NCECDTL Research to Practice Consortium
- Past President, International Congress for Infant Studies
- Past Member, Governing Board of the Society for Research in Child Development
Recent Honors
- The 2023 ACM Great Friend to Kids Award, Association of Children’s Museums, April 2023
- Kay Lokoff Yellow Rose Award as a national advocate for young children, May 2021
- National Academy of Education, March 2021
- Elected to the Governing Board of Society for Research in Child Development, March 2021
- AERA Fellow, April 2020
- SIMMS/Mann Whole Child Award, October 2019
- Fellow of the Cognitive Science Society, December 2018
- IDEO Award for Innovation in Early Childhood Education, June 2018
- Outstanding Public Communication for Education Research Award, AERA, 2018
- Living Now Book Awards, Bronze Medal for Becoming Brilliant, 2017
- Society for Research in Child Development Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Child Development Award, 2017
- President, International Congress on Infant Studies, 2016-2018
- APS James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award – “a lifetime of outstanding contributions to applied psychological research” – 2015
- Distinguished Scientific Lecturer 2015- Annual award given by the Science Directorate program of the American Psychological Association, for three research scientists to speak at regional psychological association meetings.
- Academy of Education, Arts and Sciences Bammy Award Top 5 Finalist “Best Education Professor,” 2013
- Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the service of science and society, August 2011
- Book for a Better Life Award, 2003
