Heather Malin (hmalin@stanford.edu), Ph.D., is the director of research at the Center on Adolescence. Her projects include College Experiences and Purpose Development, Character Development in Early Adolescence, Civic Purpose, Young Entrepreneurs, Thriving Indicators in Adolescence, and the Youth Purpose Project. Her research focuses on how young people develop purpose in different domains, and the capacity for meaningful participation in and contribution to their communities and society. She is interested in the application of this research to education practice; her work explores how schools can support students in developing purpose. She is the author of the book, Teaching for Purpose: Preparing Students for Lives of Meaning (2018), and numerous research articles on youth purpose.

Malin earned her Ph.D. from Stanford Graduate School of Education. Prior to coming to Stanford, she was a teacher and arts education program manager. She earned a master's degree and teaching credential from Columbia University's Teachers College, and a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College.