Kathryn Paige Harden

Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, where she leads the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab and serves as the Director of Clinical Training. Dr. Harden’s research investigates how genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors combine to influence mental health, personality, and cognition in childhood and adolescence. In addition to conducting empirical research, Dr. Harden is also a science writer and communicator. Her first book, The Genetic Lottery: Why DNA Matters for Social Equality(Princeton University Press), was named a “Top 10” book of 2021 by The Economist magazine and has been translated into nine languages. Her new book, Original Sin: The Genetics of Vice, The Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness, will be published by Random House in March 2026. For the past 10 years, she has taught Introduction to Psychology as a synchronous massive online class, and she hopes to inspire the next generation of students to be curious about how the genome contributes to the shaping of the self.