Dr. David Bartram

Alex C. Michalos Lecture

Biography

Dr. David Bartram is a sociologist at the University of Leicester. He is Editor-in-Chief of Social Indicators Research and a Vice-President of the International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS). He has published two books: Key Concepts in Migration (SAGE, with Maritsa Poros and Pierre Monforte) and International Labor Migration: Foreign Workers and Public Policy (Palgrave). He has held research grants from the Arts & Humanities Research Council, the Economic & Social Research Council, the British Academy, Leverhulme, the Nuffield Foundation, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a B.A. from Kenyon College.

Keynote

The "Significance" of Happiness Research: Seeing Beyond the Asterisks

Despite remarkable advances in happiness research, too much attention remains focused on statistical significance rather than the real-world importance of research findings. Dr. Bartram argues for moving beyond p-values to ask deeper questions about what research reveals about social reality and causal relationships. This lecture challenges researchers to think more critically about how happiness research can generate meaningful insights that improve both science and society. 

Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener

Edward F. Diener Lecture

Biography

Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is a wellbeing researcher and popular author. He holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology and a Doctorate from the University of Tromsø. His early research focused on collecting hard-to-get data from groups traditionally overlooked by researchers, including Amish farmers, Inuit hunters, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, and people living in dire poverty. Robert's work spans a wide range of wellbeing topics, including material sufficiency, social support, hospitality, pleasure, prosocial spending, psychological strengths, and friendship. He has published more than 75 peer-reviewed articles and chapters with over 30,000 citations and is the author or editor of eleven books, including the New York Times bestseller The Upside of Your Dark Side, the Prose Award-winning Happiness, and the Thinkers50-nominated Radical Listening. Robert lives in Portland, Oregon, where he enjoys rock climbing, drawing, and cats.

Keynote

Lessons in Wellbeing Science

For the annual Edward F. Diener Lecture, Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener will put a human face on wellbeing research. Drawing on personal experiences with his father, the late Dr. Ed Diener, he will share lessons from decades of pioneering wellbeing science, highlighting the importance of descriptive research, scientific rigor, effective science communication, and real-world application. The lecture will also feature emerging research from the field of quality-of-life studies, including Robert's own work on hospitality, happiness, and meaning.

Dr. Carol Graham

Richard J. Estes Lecture

Biography

Dr. Carol Graham is Senior Fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, College Park Professor at the University of Maryland, and Senior Scientist at Gallup. She has served on the U.S. National Academy of Sciences panel on well-being metrics, received Pioneer Awards from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2017 and 2021, and received the ISQOLS Lifetime Distinguished Scholar Award in 2018. She currently serves on a United Nations commission developing new indicators of progress beyond GDP. Her books include The Power of Hope (2023), Happiness for All? (2017), The Pursuit of Happiness (2011), and Happiness around the World (2010). Her research has appeared in leading journals including Science, Health Affairs, and the Journal of Economic Literature.

Keynote

Hope, Despair, and Life Outcomes: Insights from Wellbeing Economics

Hope is one of the strongest predictors of long-term wellbeing, resilience, health, and economic success, yet remains one of the least studied dimensions of wellbeing. Dr. Graham explores how hope differs from optimism, why it matters for individuals and societies, and how understanding its determinants can help shape public policy. She also examines the consequences of declining hope, including rising despair, premature mortality, and broader social and political challenges.

Dr. Alexandria I. Huerta

Biography

Dr. Alexandria I. Huerta is a career USAID Foreign Service Officer currently serving as Deputy Mission Director in India, where she leads a 134-member team and oversees multimillion-dollar development programs and operations. She has more than 20 years of experience in international development, with postings in Afghanistan, Fiji, Barbados, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Laos. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at the National Defense University's Eisenhower School, teaching national security economics and energy studies. Before joining USAID, she worked with World Vision and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali and Mozambique. Dr. Huerta holds degrees from the University of Georgia, the University of Tennessee, and Purdue University, and was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil.

Keynote

More Than Living: The Architecture of Well-Being in Crisis and Development Settings

This keynote explores how humanitarian assistance can move beyond survival metrics toward a framework centered on subjective wellbeing, dignity, and human flourishing. Drawing on experiences from international development, Dr. Huerta examines refugee camps, the "Triple Nexus" of relief, development, and peacebuilding, and the importance of integrating local concepts of a "good life." She demonstrates how empowering local leadership can strengthen psychological wellbeing and improve long-term community outcomes.

Judge Katherine Lucero (Ret.)

Biography

Judge Katherine Lucero (ret.) is a visionary and compassionate legal expert in systems that involve families in crisis. Her 22-year background in Family Court, Dependency Court, and Juvenile Justice Court gives her broad experience across all facets of how children, youth, and families experience court systems. She is a national leader in trauma-informed, therapeutic court systems that are culturally respectful, gender-honoring, and focused on healing families. Judge Lucero is a nationally recognized trainer, educator, and speaker on judicial leadership, domestic violence, child welfare, juvenile justice, collaborative courts, and restorative justice. She is a published author, certified life coach, and advocate for system transformation. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Davis, her Juris Doctor from Syracuse College of Law, and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from San José State University in 2023.

Keynote

Re-Designing Juvenile Justice through a Health-Based Lens

California has fundamentally transformed its juvenile justice system by closing state-run youth correctional facilities and shifting care back to local communities. This keynote explores how individualized rehabilitation, restorative justice, behavioral health, and positive youth development are creating better outcomes for young people while building safer communities. Judge Lucero will discuss the role of California's Office of Youth and Community Restoration and the intersection of youth justice, health, and community wellbeing.