James Chinn is a 2nd-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Lyubomirsky’s lab focused on the scientific study of subjective well-being. He is particularly interested in how theories from evolutionary biology can clarify what functions our emotions might serve, facilitating our understanding of how they work, and ultimately allowing us to cultivate happier, more fulfilling lives.
James holds a B.S. with honors from UCLA, where he studied mechanical engineering. Prior to joining Dr. Lyubomirsky at UCR, James worked as an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, designing spacecraft including the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover and the Europa Clipper Mission to Jupiter.
