Dr. Pawelski is an experienced and engaging speaker in international demand. For over twenty years, he has given talks (in both English and Spanish) on topics in positive psychology, philosophy, and well-being in countries as diverse as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela. He has presented keynote addresses, lectures, and workshops in a wide variety of settings, including academic conferences, colleges and universities, K-12 schools, and businesses. See below for a list of selected speaking engagements. Go here for a list of upcoming speaking engagements.
November 2-3, 2018: Forum for Happiness. Invited talk (with Suzann Pileggi Pawelski). TecMilenio University, Monterrey, Mexico.
July 12, 2018: Action for Happiness. Invited talk (with Suzann Pileggi Pawelski). London, UK.
June 29-30, 2018: Symposium organizer and chair. “The Positive Humanities: Conceptualizing and Measuring the Well-Being Effects of the Arts and Humanities.” 9th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Budapest, Hungary.
With Suzann Pileggi Pawelski, Workshop. “Romance and Research: Responding Well for Relational Well-Being.” 9th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Budapest, Hungary.
June 25-28, 2018: Keynote speaker. “What Can Academics Teach Us About Well-Being?” 2nd Festival of Positive Education, Fort Worth, Texas.
With Suzann Pileggi Pawelski, Evening presentation. “Romance and Research: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Enhance Relationships.” 2nd Festival of Positive Education, Fort Worth, Texas.
March 18-22, 2018: Co-organizer, chair, and co-presenter. “The knowledge and practice of well-being.” Teach-In 2018. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
March 16-18, 2018: Invited plenary keynote, with Suzann Pileggi Pawelski Pileggi. “Romance and research: Using science to build happier relationships.” World Happiness Summit (WOHASU). University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
March 16-18, 2018: Invited workshop, with Suzann Pileggi Pawelski Pileggi. “Romance and research: Using science to build happier relationships.” World Happiness Summit (WOHASU). University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
March 16-18, 2018: Invited chair of panel on “Art and happiness.” Including George H. Lewis, Dara Padwo-Audick, and Stefan Sagmeister, World Happiness Summit (WOHASU). University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
February 21, 2018: Presentation, with Suzann Pileggi Pawelski. “Positive relationships: Advancing research and practice.” Presentation in Seligman Lab, Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
February 16, 2018: Invited keynote, with Suzann Pileggi Pawelski. “Positive education: Bringing together the science of well-being and the culture of human flourishing to build a better world.” The Shipley School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
February 16, 2018: Invited workshop. “Positive education: A workshop on the humanities and human flourishing.” The Shipley School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
February 3, 2018: “Introducción a la ciencia del bienestar y la cultura del florecimiento humano.” Taught an entire day of classes in Master of Positive Leadership program. Presentation largely in Spanish. TecMilenio University, Mexico City, Mexico.
December 5, 2017: “Using the science of well-being to practice resilience and promote flourishing.” The Arnold Drapkin, MD Lectureship in Humanism in Medicine. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
November 28, 2017: “Museums and the art of flourishing.” Invited Think Tank presenter. Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts.
October 11, 2017: “Positive education: Bringing out the best in all of us to build a better world.” Invited keynote for community launch of positive education initiative. The Shipley School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
August 6-12, 2017: “The science of well-being and the culture of human flourishing.” Organizer and co-presenter of symposium on “Toward a collaborative use of scientific and humanistic methods to understand, assess, and advance the role of the arts and humanities in human flourishing.” World Humanities Conference, Liège, Belgium.
July 13-16, 2017: Organizer and presenter, symposium on “The Positive Humanities: How Might the Well-Being Effects of the Arts and Humanities Be Measured?” Fifth World Congress on Positive Psychology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
With Suzann Pileggi Pawelski, “Responding Well for Relational Well-Being.” Workshop. Fifth World Congress on Positive Psychology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
August 6-12, 2017: Invited Symposium Organizer and Speaker. World Humanities Conference. UNESCO. Liège, Belgium.
May 25, 2017: Invited talk. University of Buckingham, Buckingham, United Kingdom.
May 22-24, 2017: Distinguished Visiting Professor, Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
March 20, 2017: Keynote speaker for opening of Emirates Center for Happiness Research, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
January 4-7, 2017: Presidential Address. William James Society. Session held at the Eastern Division Meeting of the American Philosophical Association. Baltimore, Maryland.
October 7-8, 2016: Invited Keynote Speaker. 80th Anniversary Scientific Conference, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong. Hong Kong.
October 7-8, 2016: Invited lecturer. Bei Shan Tang Foundation. Hong Kong.
June 28-July 1, 2016: Opening Keynote Speaker. VIII European Conference on Positive Psychology. Angers, France.
July 17-21, 2016: Invited Keynote Speaker. Festival of Positive Education. Dallas, Texas.
April 26-29, 2016: Invited keynote speaker and panelist. Conference on Embodied Positive Psychology. Kripalu. Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
April 15, 2016: Invited speaker. Symposium in honor of Ken Pargament. Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green, Ohio.
April 14, 2016: Keynote speaker. Association of Program Directors in Surgery annual conference. Boston, Massachusetts.
March 16, 2016: Book presentation and book signing for On Human Flourishing: A Poetry Anthology. The Princeton Club. New York, New York.
January 30, 2016: Inaugural lecturer. Master of Applied Positive Leadership program. Universidad TecMilenio. Mexico City, Mexico.
January 26, 2016: Invited speaker. New Perspectives on Religious Experience Speaker Series. University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
January 9, 2016: Keynote speaker. Philadelphia Futures annual conference. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
July 22, 2015: Invited speaker and recipient of the Humanitarian Innovation Award for the Humanities, Arts, and Culture. Humanitarian Innovation Forum, United Nations. New York, New York.
July 3-5, 2015: Invited keynote speaker. 3rd China International Conference on Positive Psychology, Beijing, China.
June 25-28, 2015: Invited keynote speaker. 4th World Congress on Positive Psychology, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. www.ippanetwork.org
May 28-June 1, 2015: Invited keynote speaker (with Suzann Pileggi Pawelski). Conference on “Spaces of Thought and Action in Psychology.” Graz, Austria. http://www.akjf.at/english/veranstaltungen/3-kongress-denk-und-handlungsraeume-der-psychologie-English
July 1-4, 2014: Cultural evening: Positive psychology and the arts. Presenter, master of ceremonies, and co-organizer (with Dr. Jan Walburg) of special session. 7th European Conference on Positive Psychology. Amsterdam, Holland.
July 1-4, 2014: With Suzann Pileggi Pawelski. Romance and research: Can positive psychology help couples improve their relationships? 7th European Conference on Positive Psychology. Amsterdam, Holland.
June 5-8, 2014: The happy human and the eudaimonic turn in the humanities. Co-organizer and invited speaker. Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism Symposium. 73rd Annual Conference. American Humanist Association, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
May 1-2, 2014: The head’s happiness—and the heart’s, too! Keynote address at a conference for heads of school with the theme “School success starts with the head’s happiness.” New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, Crystal Springs Resort, New Jersey.
April 8, 2014: What do positive psychologists mean by “positive”? Invited research colloquium presentation. Department of Psychology, University of Zurich. Zurich, Switzerland.
November 6-8, 2013: Positive psychology: Thriving to meet societal challenges. Invited plenary speaker. First East African Regional Conference on Psychology. Kampala, Uganda.
September 26-27, 2013: Invited member of plenary panel on “The complexity of well-being.” Well-Being Working Conference. Bringing Theory to Practice Project (developed in partnership with the Association of American Colleges and Universities). Washington, D.C.
June 27-30, 2013: “What is the meaning of the ‘positive’ in positive psychology?” and “The eudaimonic turn in literary studies.” Organizer and co-presenter of symposium on “The collaboration between science and culture in the quest for human flourishing.” Third World Congress on Positive Psychology, Los Angeles, California.
June 27-30, 2013: Panelist. Symposium on “Building positive education in a whole school: Governance and stewardship.” Third World Congress on Positive Psychology, Los Angeles, California.
June 27-30, 2013: “Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) programs: Bringing research to practice.” In a symposium on “Creating a positive academic concentration at your university: Serving incoming Millennials, Gen X, and Gen Y preparing for the future.” Third World Congress on Positive Psychology, Los Angeles, California.
June 27-30, 2013: With Suzann Pileggi Pawelski. Romance and research: Can positive psychology help couples improve their relationships? Third World Congress on Positive Psychology, Los Angeles, California.
May 17-19, 2013: “What does positive psychology mean by ‘positive’?” Invited opening keynote address. First International Conference on Positive Psychology in Poland. University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Sopot, Poland.
April 25-26, 2013: Plenary welcome (via video). National Convention on Positive Psychology. Ateneo de Naga University, Naga City, Philippines.
April 12, 2013: “Las intervenciones positivas y la cultura del florecimiento humano.” Virtual presentation given in Spanish as part of the post-graduate Diplomado program in positive psychology. Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico.
April 12, 2013: “La psicología positiva y sus aplicaciones pedagógicas.” Presentation given in Spanish for an audience of 4,000 professors. Universidad TecMilenio, Monterrey, Mexico.
April 11, 2013: “La psicología positiva, su desarollo, y sus aplicaciones.” Presentation given in Spanish to the president and the leadership team of the Sistema Tecnológico de Monterrey. Monterrey, Mexico.
April 10, 2013: “La psicología positiva y sus aplicaciones en la vida y en el trabajo.” Presentation given in Spanish to an audience of 11,000. Universidad TecMilenio, Monterrey, Mexico.
January 28, 2013: “The positive turn: The science of well-being and the culture of human flourishing.” Invited talk. North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.
January 28, 2013: “The positive turn: Interventions, the humanities, and education.” First day of classes for the inaugural Master of Arts program in positive psychology. North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.
December 7, 2012: “The Eudaimonic Turn: Well-Being in Literary Studies.” Presentation and book signing. Penn Bookstore. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
November 9-11, 2012: “Science, culture, and the humanities: A collaborative quest for well-being.” Keynote speaker. Second China International Conference on Positive Psychology. Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
November 9-11, 2012: “The fundamental principle of positive psychology.” Second China International Conference on Positive Psychology. Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
November 8, 2012: “Positive psychology: An introduction to the science of well-being.” Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Beijing, China.
November 3, 2012: “Positive psychology, philosophy, culture, and education.” All day presentation. Korean Association of Positive Psychology. Seoul, South Korea.
October 25, 2012: “If you’re happy and you know it: An introduction to the world of positive psychology.” Keynote speaker. Trustees’ Council of Penn Women. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
June 26-29, 2012: “Culture, well-being, and the eudaimonic turn in literary studies.” Organizer and co-presenter of symposium on “Science, culture, and the humanities: Rethinking the question of well-being.” 6th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Moscow, Russia.
June 26-29, 2012: “MAPP at Penn: Advancing the application of positive psychology.” Presentation part of a symposium on “An exploration of the impact of graduate and application-based projects on the field of positive psychology.” 6th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Moscow, Russia.
June 26-29, 2012: Opening address as part of the opening plenary session. 6th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Moscow, Russia.
June 1, 2012: “Maximizing employee engagement through positive psychology: Creating a Strengths-based workplace.” Keynote speaker. Leadership Forum. Pace University, White Plains, NY.
April 22, 2012: “The eudaimonic turn: The science and culture of well-being.” Invited lecture. Philadelphia Ethical Humanist Society. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
April 19, 2012: “Positive psychology and the humanities: The science of well-being and the culture of human flourishing.” Invited lecture. Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
March 17, 2012: “Positive psychology: Philosophical underpinnings and practical applications.” Taught the entire first day of the new International Executive Master of Applied Positive Psychology Degree. Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
March 14-17, 2012: “Psicología positiva: Educación, intervenciones, y humanidades.” Invited plenary address; presented in Spanish. I Congreso Nacional de Psicología Positiva, Sociedad Española de Psicología Positiva (First National Congress on Positive Psychology, Spanish Positive Psychology Society). El Escorial, Spain.
March 14-17, 2012: “El papel de la Asociación Internacional de Psicología Positiva.” Part of a plenary panel Mesa redonda: Retos y futuro de la psicología positiva (Round table: Challenges and future of positive psychology). Presented in Spanish. I Congreso Nacional de Psicología Positiva, Sociedad Española de Psicología Positiva (First National Congress on Positive Psychology, Spanish Positive Psychology Society). El Escorial, Spain.
January 23, 2012: “The positive education curriculum.” Talk at Albany Academies. Albany, New York, .
October 20-21, 2011: “The humanities and the science of human flourishing.” Invited keynote address. First Brazilian Conference on Positive Psychology. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
July 23-26, 2011: “Philosophy and the positive turn.” In an invited symposium on “The positive turn: Why positive psychology and the humanities need each other.” Organized by J. O. Pawelski. Co-presenters: Don Moores, Lindsay Doran, and Martin Seligman. Second World Congress on Positive Psychology, Philadelphia, PA.
July 23-26, 2011: “The importance of the positive humanities for positive education.” In a symposium on Positive education: Global developments in applying the principles of positive psychology and wellbeing in schools, in universities, and in teacher education. Second World Congress on Positive Psychology, Philadelphia, PA.
May 21, 2011: “Good partners: Positive Psychology and Community Problem-Oriented Policing.” Keynote presentation. First Annual Community Problem-Oriented Policing Conference. Miami Valley Crime Prevention Association, Riverside, OH.
April 19, 2011: Positive psychology, the humanities, and human flourishing. Invited lecture in course on “Writing Positively.” Duke University, Durham, NC.
April 12, 2011: The positive humanities. Delivered as part of the Distinguished Voices Colloquium. Kean University, Toms River, NJ.
March 12-16, 2011: “Educating for lives of purpose: Rich Traditions, New Directions.” Keynote address delivered at the Senior Student Affairs Officers Reception. National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Philadelphia, PA.
October 18-20, 2010: Humanidades positivas (via videoconference, delivered in Spanish). Invited presentation. I Congreso Venezolano de Psicología Positiva. Universidad Metropolitana, Caracas, Venezuela.
September 29-30, 2010: “Positive cultures: A fundamental step toward positive nations.” Invited presentation. Conference on Positive Nations. University of Lisbon, Portugal.
August 13-15, 2010: Plenary welcome (via video). 1st International Positive Psychology and Education Conference of China. Organized by Chinese Ministry of Education and others. Beijing, China.
August 13-16, 2010: “Beyond healthy-mindedness: William James, positive psychology, and the science of well-being.” Presented at “In the footsteps of William James,” a symposium sponsored by the William James Society in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the death of William James. Chocorua, NH and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
July 29, 2010: “The science of happiness.” Invited lecture. Ormond College, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
July 28, 2010: “Positive humanities: A crucial foundation for positive education.” Invited public lecture. Melbourne Graduate School of Education. University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
July 27, 2010: Closing plenary session. Conference on “Faith and Positive Psychology.” Geelong Grammar School, Geelong, Australia.
July 26, 2010: “Positive humanities: Advances in positive education.” Invited lecture. Geelong Grammar School, Geelong, Australia.
June 23-26, 2010: “Positive humanities: Positive psychology and the transformation of culture.” Organizer and co-presenter of invited symposium. European Conference on Positive Psychology, Copenhagen, Denmark.
June 23-26, 2010: Opening address as part of the opening plenary session. European Conference on Positive Psychology, Copenhagen, Denmark.
June 22-26, 2010: “Beyond healthy-mindedness: William James and the science of well-being.” European Conference on American and European Values. Conference theme: William James’s Pragmatism. Uniwersytet Opolski, Opole, Poland.
November 21, 2009: “La psicología positiva: Desarrollos en la teoría, la ciencia, la estructura, y la práctica.” Day-long class taught in Spanish as part of the post-graduate Diplomado program in positive psychology. Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico.
June 18-21, 2009: “Toward a New Generation of Positive Interventions.” Organizer and co-presentor with Barbara Fredrickson and Sonja Lyubomirsky of workshop on “Positive Interventions: Theory, Research, and Practice.” First World Congress on Positive Psychology, Philadelphia, PA.
June 8-9, 2009: “A Connecting Path–Basic School and Positive Psychology.” Keynote speaker. Basic School Summer Institute on “Finding Our Way: Hope and Human Spirit.” Basic School Center, San Antonio, Texas.
May 6, 2009: “The Science behind the Smile: Positive Psychology in the Dental Office.” Penn Dental Medicine, Extramural Continuing Education Programs. Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Eatontown, NJ.
April 2, 2009: “The science of happiness.” Brain and Behavior Series lecture to all first-year students. University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
March 26, 2009: “William James and Positive Psychology: Looking for the Health in Healthy-Mindedness.” Invited Colloquium Series presentation. Religious Studies Department. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
March 12-14, 2009: “Varieties of Healthy-Mindedness in Religion and Science.” Presenter and co-organizer for a William James Society session on “William James, Healthy-Mindedness, and the Science of Well-Being.” Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX.
February 5-7, 2009: “Positive psychology: New possibilities for higher education.” Opening keynote speaker. Institute on College Student Values. Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.
January 24, 2009: “Positive psychology and personal leadership.” Guest lecture in Personal Leadership and Success, a course taught by Professor Hitendra Wadhwa. Columbia Business School, New York, New York.
December 27-30, 2008: “Somaesthetics and the Care of the Mind.” American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division Meeting. Philadelphia, PA.
November 29, 2008: “La psicología positiva: Desarrollos en la teoría, la ciencia, la estructura, y la práctica.” Day-long class taught in Spanish as part of the post-graduate Diplomado program in positive psychology. Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico.
August 1-2, 2008: “Desarrollos positivos en la psicología positiva.” Invited opening plenary talk, delivered in Spanish. Tercer Encuentro Iberoamericano de Psicología Positiva. Universidad de Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
July 1-4, 2008: “What does Positive Psychology Mean by ‘Positive’?” Presenter and organizer for symposium on Conceptual Questions in Positive Psychology; “The University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program.” Presenter in symposium on International Perspectives on Post-Graduate Education in Positive Psychology. 4th European Conference on Positive Psychology. Opatija, Croatia.
June 2, 2008: “Positive Psychology: A Science of Happiness.” Small College Career Alliance conference. West Greenwich, RI.
May 5-9, 2008: “La psicología positiva: Teoría, ciencia, y aplicación.” (Invited Plenary Speaker; presentation in Spanish). VI Congreso de Investigación y Creación Intelectual (Sixth Congress of Research and Intellectual Development). Universidad Metropolitana, Caracas, Venezuela.
May 5, 2008: “Una ciencia del bienestar: La psicología positiva y sus aplicaciones.” One-day workshop presented in Spanish to Venezuelan psychology professors. Universidad Metropolitana, Caracas, Venezuela.
March 27, 2008: “The Dynamic Individualism of William James.” Presentation and book signing. Penn Bookstore. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
March 22, 2008: “The pursuit of philosophy and the consolation of happiness.” Conference on “The pursuit of happiness and the consolation of philosophy.” Co-organizer and speaker. Greater Philadelphia Philosophy Consortium. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
February 1, 2008: “William James’s dynamic individualism.” New York Pragmatist Forum. New York, NY.
December 27-30, 2007: “Blindness, joy, and epiphanic experience” (William James Society) and “William James’s dynamic individualism” (Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy). American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
September 23, 2007: “Positive Psychology and its Clinical Applications.” New Jersey Association of Cognitive-Behavorial Therapists. Garwood, NJ.
August 17-20, 2007: “Teaching positive psychology to graduate students.” Part of a panel on “Teaching positive psychology.” American Psychological Association Convention, San Francisco, CA.
July 25-28, 2007: “Positive psychology in brief.” Part of a panel on “Psychoanalysis and Positive Psychology.” 45th Congress of the International Psychoanalytical Association. Berlin, Germany.
June 22-23, 2007: “¿Es posible ser más feliz? La psicología positiva y sus aplicaciones.” Two-day workshop presented in Spanish. Lima, Peru.
February 9-10, 2007: “Como ser más feliz: La psicología positiva y sus aplicaciones.” Two-day workshop presented in Spanish. Grupo Campos Elíseos. Mexico City, Mexico.
February 8, 2007: “Can individualism be healthy? Evolution, human development, and the dynamic individualism of William James.” (Presentation in English, discussion in Spanish). Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
February 5, 2007: “Teaching well-being in American schools and universities: An overview.” (Invited speaker). Teaching “Happiness” and Well-Being Conference. Wellington College, Berkshire, United Kingdom.
January 10, 2007: “Green Cape Resilience.” GlaxoSmithKline, regional meeting. Philadelphia, PA.
November 30, 2006: “William James, dynamic individualism, and religious genius.” Colloquium Series, Department of Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
August 4-5, 2006: “La enseñanza de la psicología positiva” and “¿Qué es la psicología positiva?” (Invited speaker; presentations in Spanish). Primer Encuentro Iberoamericano de Psicología Positiva, Universidad de Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
July 3-6, 2006: “Theory for practice: A philosophical look at positive interventions.” Third European Conference on Positive Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
April 26-27, 2006: “Master of Applied Positive Psychology: From the classroom…to the world” (with Debbie Swick) and “Theory for practice: Positive psychology and leadership.” Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
James Pawelski 