Michael McGarrah is a PhD student at Harvard whose work focuses on the psychology of curiosity, exploration, and learning. Along with a special interest in late childhood and early-middle adolescence as unique developmental periods, other areas of research Mr. McGarrah focuses on include the development of emotion regulation and the development of substance use disorder. 

Most recently, Mr. McGarrah served as a Research & Policy Associate at the Aspen Institute. While at Aspen, Mr. McGarrah worked with fellow researchers, policymakers, educators, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations to advance policies and practices in K-12 schools that are grounded in the science of learning and development.

Mr. McGarrah is a former Fulbright Scholar, having taught for a year in the bilingual public school system in Madrid, Spain. Throughout his work, Mr. McGarrah is guided by his training in experimental psychology, his direct service with youth, and his involvement in crafting education policy in Washington, DC. Mr. McGarrah received his B.A. in Child Psychology, summa cum laude, and with distinction, from the University of Minnesota.