About Jennifer:

Dr. Jennifer Stellar is a leading researcher who investigates the profound ways that positive emotions like awe, compassion, and joy affect our bodies and minds. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Clinical Science at the University of Toronto Scarborough, where she directs the Prosocial Emotions and Health Lab. Jennifer’s mission is to use rigorous science to prove that being kind and feeling good can actually make you healthier. Her research examines whether positive feelings lead to measurable changes in our body chemistry, such as improved immune function and reduced stress levels. One of her most notable findings is the direct link between experiencing awe (the feeling you get when faced with something vast, like looking at the night sky or a giant waterfall) and lower levels of inflammation in the body. Since high inflammation is often linked to poor health and disease, this work suggests that regularly feeling positive emotions could serve as a natural defense for long-term health. Her work, which was built on her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and postdoctoral research at the University of Toronto, is considered groundbreaking. By studying the biological effects of compassion and awe, Jennifer provides evidence that these “fuzzy concepts” are powerful tools for physical and mental well-being.