Arthur Brooks

Arthur Brooks is an accomplished academic and author, known for his work in public policy, nonprofit leadership, and the science of happiness. After a distinguished early career as a classical French hornist, touring and recording with groups like the Annapolis Brass Quintet and the City Orchestra of Barcelona, Arthur Brooks returned to education. He earned a BA through distance learning from Thomas Edison State College, an MA in economics from Florida Atlantic University, and later an MPhil and PhD in public policy analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School, where he served as an analyst for the Rand Corporation’s Project Air Force. He then embarked on a decade-long tenure as a university professor, rapidly advancing to full professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in just seven years by 2006.

He also hosts the widely acclaimed podcast ‘The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks,’ reaching a broad audience with his insights. His contributions to the field were further recognized as the subject of the 2019 documentary film The Pursuit. Currently, at Harvard, he spearheads the Leadership & Happiness Laboratory at the Center for Public Leadership, dedicated to exploring how individuals can cultivate more purposeful and fulfilling lives, and actively serves as a respected board member of the Legatum Institute.