Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., is a professor and former director of clinical training in the Department of Psychology, Rutgers University.

He is also director of the Rutgers Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab (www.secdlab.org), academic director of the Collaborative Center for Community-Based Research and Service (engage.rutgers.edu), and founding member of the Leadership Team for the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).

Dr. Elias lectures nationally and internationally and devotes his research and writing to the area of social-emotional and character development in children, schools, and families. He is a licensed psychologist and writes a blog on social-emotional and character development for the George Lucas Educational Foundation at www.edutopia.org.

He lives in New Jersey with his wife, Ellen, near their children and grandchildren.