Suniya S. Luthar
Encyclopedia
Suniya S. Luthar is Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University’s Teachers College and adjunct professor at Yale University's Child Study Center .
Follow-up research with mothers of these children suggest parallels with patterns seen with the teens: A large proportion of today’s well-educated, upper-middle class mothers are highly stressed and not happy with their life situations.
Luthar’s research has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health as well as the William T. Grant Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the Smith Richardson Foundation. Since 1990, she has received over 10 million dollars in grant funding.
In 1990, she received a Ph.D. in Clinical and Developmental Psychology from Yale University. She completed a clinical internship at the Yale Child Study Center and then was on the faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Child Study Center, first as an Associate Research Scientist (1990–1992), then as Assistant Professor (1992–1997).
Luthar joined Teachers College, Columbia University in 1997 as an Associate Professor. She received tenure in 1999 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2001.
Other awards include a
Dissertation Award (1990) and the Boyd McCandless Young Scientist Award (1998),
both from the American Psychological Association, a Research Scientist Development Award from the
National Institute on Drug Abuse (1993), and an American Mensa Education and Research Foundation Award for Excellence in Research on Intelligence (1995). Luthar has served as Chair of a grant peer review committee at the
National Institutes of Health’s Center for Scientific Review (2002–2004), was elected member of the Governing Council of the Society for Research on Child Development (2006–2009), and of the American Psychological Association's Committee on Socioeconomic Status (2007–2008) .
Resilience and vulnerability in childhood: Adaptation in the context of adversities. Dr. Luthar has also served as Associate Editor of the peer-reviewed journals Developmental Psychology (2004–2007)
and Development and Psychopathology (1999 – ongoing).
who was to go on sabbatical.
Early in Luthar's tenure as Chair, she was approached by a former Teachers College faculty member as well as some students, all claiming that Constantine had used their scholarly writings without attribution. Luthar brought these complaints to Darlyne Bailey
, then Dean at Teachers College.
In October 2007, Constantine drew international attention when she reportedly discovered a noose hanging on the door of her TC office. Students converged on the front steps of Teachers College steps and fervently denounced racism, as Constantine read a press release from a prepared statement.
Someone named Luthar as a possible suspect, implying unspecified professional rivalry.
In February 2008, findings of an 18-month probe by Teachers College’s attorneys indicated that Madonna Constantine had in fact published the work of others without attribution. Reprimanded for multiple instances of plagiarism, Constantine was to face unspecified sanctions at the College.
In June, 2008, Constantine’s appointment was officially terminated.
In April, 2009, the Asian Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development http://www.srcdasiancaucus.org/index.php honored Luthar with an award citing her “mentorship, courage, and integrity”, and in 2011, she was appointed as Senior Advisor to the Provost at Teachers College.
Research
Dr. Luthar's research involves vulnerability and resilience among various populations including youth in poverty and children in families affected by mental illness. Her recent studies have focused on adolescents in affluent communities, and findings have revealed elevated problems in several areas, particularly substance use and emotional distress.Follow-up research with mothers of these children suggest parallels with patterns seen with the teens: A large proportion of today’s well-educated, upper-middle class mothers are highly stressed and not happy with their life situations.
Luthar’s research has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health as well as the William T. Grant Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the Smith Richardson Foundation. Since 1990, she has received over 10 million dollars in grant funding.
Education and early career
Suniya S. Luthar earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Child Development, in 1978 and 1980 respectively, from the Lady Irwin College of Delhi University, India.In 1990, she received a Ph.D. in Clinical and Developmental Psychology from Yale University. She completed a clinical internship at the Yale Child Study Center and then was on the faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Child Study Center, first as an Associate Research Scientist (1990–1992), then as Assistant Professor (1992–1997).
Luthar joined Teachers College, Columbia University in 1997 as an Associate Professor. She received tenure in 1999 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2001.
Honors and awards
In 2006, Luthar was named Fellow of the American Association for Psychological Science (2006).Other awards include a
Dissertation Award (1990) and the Boyd McCandless Young Scientist Award (1998),
both from the American Psychological Association, a Research Scientist Development Award from the
National Institute on Drug Abuse (1993), and an American Mensa Education and Research Foundation Award for Excellence in Research on Intelligence (1995). Luthar has served as Chair of a grant peer review committee at the
National Institutes of Health’s Center for Scientific Review (2002–2004), was elected member of the Governing Council of the Society for Research on Child Development (2006–2009), and of the American Psychological Association's Committee on Socioeconomic Status (2007–2008) .
Publications
In addition to peer-reviewed journal articles, Dr. Luthar’s books include Children in poverty: Risk and protective forces in adjustment, Developmental psychopathology: Perspectives on adjustment, risk, and disorder, andResilience and vulnerability in childhood: Adaptation in the context of adversities. Dr. Luthar has also served as Associate Editor of the peer-reviewed journals Developmental Psychology (2004–2007)
and Development and Psychopathology (1999 – ongoing).
Department Chair, Teachers College
In 2005, Luthar was elected by faculty colleagues to be Chair of the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. She took the place of Professor Madonna ConstantineMadonna Constantine
Madonna G. Constantine is a former psychology and education professor at Columbia University's Teachers College. She was fired in 2008 on grounds of plagiarism.- Education and early career :...
who was to go on sabbatical.
Early in Luthar's tenure as Chair, she was approached by a former Teachers College faculty member as well as some students, all claiming that Constantine had used their scholarly writings without attribution. Luthar brought these complaints to Darlyne Bailey
Darlyne Bailey
Darlyne Bailey is an American education administrator and professor. She is currently the Dean of the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College, where she also serves as Special Assistant to the President for Community Partnerships. She began this position in 2009...
, then Dean at Teachers College.
In October 2007, Constantine drew international attention when she reportedly discovered a noose hanging on the door of her TC office. Students converged on the front steps of Teachers College steps and fervently denounced racism, as Constantine read a press release from a prepared statement.
Someone named Luthar as a possible suspect, implying unspecified professional rivalry.
In February 2008, findings of an 18-month probe by Teachers College’s attorneys indicated that Madonna Constantine had in fact published the work of others without attribution. Reprimanded for multiple instances of plagiarism, Constantine was to face unspecified sanctions at the College.
In June, 2008, Constantine’s appointment was officially terminated.
In April, 2009, the Asian Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development http://www.srcdasiancaucus.org/index.php honored Luthar with an award citing her “mentorship, courage, and integrity”, and in 2011, she was appointed as Senior Advisor to the Provost at Teachers College.