Quality of Life Research Center

Dr. Jeanne Nakamura

Jeanne Nakamura is a Professor of Psychology in the Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences at Claremont Graduate University. She co-founded the Positive Psychology concentration and co-directs the Quality of Life Research Center, a nonprofit research institute dedicated to the study of positive psychology, the science of such human strengths as creativity, intrinsic motivation, and responsibility. Throughout her career, she has investigated positive psychology in a developmental context, including engagement and creativity, mentoring and good work, and aging well.

Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

(1934-2021)

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi was Claremont Graduate University’s Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Management. He was also the founder and co-director of the Quality of Life Research Center (QLRC). The QLRC is a nonprofit research institute that studies positive psychology, the study of human strengths such as optimism, creativity, intrinsic motivation, and responsibility. He was best known for his research on the experience of flow, a psychological concept he introduced in his best-selling book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Harper Perennial, 1990).

Ajit singh Mann, M.A.

Ajit has an M.A. in Positive Developmental Psychology and Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University. His research focuses on pro-environmental behavior in later life, and seeks to understand these processes as they occur in the daily lives of older adults. His research interests include flow, prosociality, well-being and the Experience Sampling Method. He currently serves as the lab manager and can be contacted at ajit.singh.mann@cgu.edu for any queries.

atsushi kukita, M.A.

Atsushi received his M.A. in Education from University of California, Los Angeles, and an M.A. in Psychology from Claremont Graduate University, where he currently pursues a Ph.D., while serving as an adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona. His research interests include consolidating hedonic, eudaimonic, and phenomenological aspects of well-being as experienced from moment to moment, as well as research methods and analyses pertaining to experience sampling method (ESM).

elena lee, MAIOP

Elena has a Master of Applied Industrial/Organizational Psychology (MAIOP) and is currently pursuing her Ph.D in Psychology (Positive Developmental Concentration) at Claremont Graduate University. Her research interests include flow, mindfulness, prosocial behavior, and resilience. Her current research is focused on investigating flow experiences of young children in their daily lives by studying their play behavior. She seeks to understand the individual, social, and cultural factors that contribute to optimal development and well-being, through the theoretical lens from positive psychology and cross-cultural psychology.

eli waxler, B.A.

Eli has an B.A. in Psychology from Brandeis University and is currently pursuing his PhD in Positive Developmental Psychology. His research focuses on identity development through personally salient activities with additional interest in flow, human flourishing, and applied positive psychology. Before coming to CGU, Eli spent time in health administration first working in a hospital setting and then managing the Community Support Specialist Team for the NYS Contact Tracing Initiative in the Mid-Hudson Region.

hannah lucas, M.A.

Hannah Lucas received an M.A. in Positive Developmental Psychology from Claremont Graduate University in 2014. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Chaffey College. Her research interests include positive social experiences that may have significant effects upon optimal adult development such as flow, mentoring, and adult attachment style. Hannah has also published research about social flow and beyond-personal love in adulthood.

katherine vrooman, M.A.

Katherine has an MA in Applied Social Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. Her research pursuits draw elements from both Social and Positive Developmental Psychology. Broadly, she is interested in social cognition, perspective change, growth, and flourishing across the lifespan. She has previously conducted research in the areas of stereotype threat, attitudes and decision-making, and is currently focusing on her interest in aesthetic engagement and well-being-- investigating the development of human complexity through engagement with the arts and humanities.

Kelsey Procter Finley, M.A.

Kelsey received her M.A. in Positive Developmental Psychology from Claremont Graduate University in 2016. Her research interests include creativity, meaning in life, and positive aging. Kelsey is also a musician and has been involved in the Pomona College orchestra and concert band and consequently has an additional research interest in how music and art contribute to human flourishing.

Michael Condren, M.A.

Michael Condren is a doctoral candidate in Positive Organizational Psychology and a research associate at the Quality of Life Research Center. His research focuses on social heroism, specifically the design and management of positive organizations that can sustain social heroes’ engagement and effectiveness, both individually and collectively. Michael’s research and publications include articles and book chapters on social heroism, mentoring and Good Work, and cross-cultural intelligence. Michael has extensive applied experience in coaching, leadership development and organizational development.

noah ringler, m.a.

Noah has his M.A. in Experimental Psychology and Positive Developmental Psychology.  His research interests include moral development, wisdom, and mindfulness.  Acting as an adjunct professor across the Southern California Region, Noah hopes to assist in the development of young to middle-aged adults.

sumana sri, m.a.

Sumana received her M.Sc. in Human Development and Family Studies from India in 2014 and an M.A. in Positive Developmental Psychology  from Claremont Graduate University in 2019 where she is currently pursuing her PhD. Her research focuses on boredom experiences and the quality of attention during daily experiences among young adults. She is also interested in the influence of culture and social institutions on lifespan development. 

Yukun Sun, M.sc.

YuKun (Harry) Sun is a PhD candidate in Positive Developmental Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. He is interested in the fundamental questions in flow research, such as measuring distinguishable features of flow, different types and intensities of flow. He believes these questions will advance the understanding on the nature of flow experience.