Scott Barry Kaufman

Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a psychologist, coach, professor, keynote speaker, and best-selling author who is passionate about helping all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and self-actualized life.

His early educational experiences made him realize the deep reservoir of untapped potential of students, including bright and creative children who have been diagnosed with a learning disability. Dr. Kaufman is among the top 1% most cited scientists in the world for his research on intelligence and creativity.

Dr. Kaufman is a professor of psychology at Columbia University and director of the Center for Human Potential. He hosts the The Psychology Podcast - the #1 psychology podcast in the world - which has received over 30 million downloads and was named by Business Insider as one of “9 podcasts that will change how you think about human behavior.”

Dr. Kaufman’s writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review, and he is the author and editor of 11 books. In his most recent book Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself, and Realize Your Full Potential (2025), he explores the limiting beliefs and widespread anxiety that puts us in boxes, lowers our expectations, and holds us back in our lives.

In addition to teaching at Columbia, Dr. Kaufman has also been a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and NYU. Dr. Kaufman received a B.S. in psychology and human computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon, an M. Phil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge under a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, and a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale University.