Laith Al-Shawaf, Ph.D.

Investigating the structure and function of the human mind

Dr. Laith Al-Shawaf is an award-winning research psychologist, university professor, and director of the Architecture of the Mind Lab at the University of Colorado. His work investigates the structure and function of the human mind, with a focus on emotion, cognition, and personality. Drawing on evolutionary theory and cross-cultural data, this research aims to understand the underlying structure of human psychology, examining both universal features of the mind and variation across populations. Ultimately, this work seeks to identify the psychological mechanisms that generate thoughts, emotions, and behavior.

His work has been featured in outlets such as the BBC, Time, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. In addition to his academic research, he writes popular science essays for general audiences and has appeared on a range of science podcasts and media platforms. These essays have been translated into multiple languages, including German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish.

​He has held visiting positions and fellowships at institutions including the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse and the Institute for Advanced Study in Berlin, and is affiliated with the Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience at the University of Colorado and the Arab-German Young Academy of Scholars. He also serves on advisory boards for organizations such as Ideas Beyond Borders and the Center for Applied Social Cognition Research.

Dr. Al-Shawaf brings his multicultural and multilingual background to his work, and is particularly interested in how universal aspects of human psychology are expressed across cultures.

"In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways."  
- Edith Wharton
​