Dr. Ross A. Thompson is a distinguished professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, Davis, where he founded and directed the Social & Emotional Development Lab.
A leading authority on early social, emotional and moral development, Dr. Thompson’s research has profoundly influenced both developmental science and public policy in early childhood.
Over his distinguished career, Dr. Thompson has authored or coauthored more than 250 publications and served on several landmark committees of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, including the influential report From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. He is the author of The Brain Development Revolution: Science, the Media, and Public Policy (Cambridge University Press, 2023) and coeditor of Attachment: The Fundamental Questions (Guilford, 2021).
A past president of ZERO TO THREE’s Board of Directors, Dr. Thompson has also chaired national advisory panels for organizations such as the American Psychological Association, the National Institute for Early Education Research, and the Administration for Children and Families. Among his many honors are the Urie Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the Service of Science and Society and the ZERO TO THREE Distinguished Service Award.
“ZERO TO THREE has long led the way in translating science into action for babies and families,” Dr. Thompson said. “I’m honored to help continue that work, ensuring that what we know from research truly shapes how society supports the earliest years of life.”
