Non-Resident Scholar
North Dakota State University
Dr. Clay Routledge is a behavioral scientist, writer, consultant, and professor of psychology at North Dakota State University. Much of his work focuses on the human need to find and maintain meaning in life. More specifically, using a range of empirical methods, his research examines the underlying cognitive processes involved in meaning-making, the different ways people seek meaning, how the presence or absence of meaning influences psychological wellbeing, self-control, and goal pursuit, and the role meaning plays in people’s ability to overcome personal vulnerabilities and difficult life experiences. Dr. Routledge is an award-winning scholar who has published over 100 academic papers and co-edited two books. He authored the books Nostalgia: A Psychological Resource and Supernatural: Death, Meaning, and the Power of the Invisible World. He was also the lead author for the TED-Ed animated lesson Why Do We Feel Nostalgia? His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, John Templeton Foundation, Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, and Charles Koch Foundation. Dr. Routledge regularly writes for media outlets such as Scientific American, National Review, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Widely regarded as a leading expert in existential psychology, Dr. Routledge frequently serves as a public speaker and guest on popular podcasts and radio and television programs. His work is also regularly featured in diverse media outlets such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Men’s Health, Vox, Huffington Post, The Guardian, BBC News, CBS News, CBC News, and CNN. You can find out more about Dr. Routledge’s work at clayroutledge.com.
