June Gruber Welcomes Research with Societal Impact as New Editor of Current Directions in Psychological Science

Beginning January 1, 2025, June Gruber will take over the helm as editor of Current Directions in Psychological Science. Gruber is a full professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Colorado at Boulder and director of the Positive Emotion and Psychopathology Laboratory. She previously worked as an assistant professor of psychology at Yale University. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology and B.A. in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.  

Gruber has authored over 140 articles and chapters, edited two books on emotion and psychological health, and co-authored two psychology textbooks. Her research focuses on mental health and positive emotion, with a particular emphasis on bipolar disorder and related mood disorders. Her work has been recognized by several awards, including the Association for Psychological Science’s Rising Star Award, APS Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions, and Yale University’s Arthur Greer Memorial Prize for Outstanding Junior Faculty.  

She also teaches courses on topics including affective science, psychopathology, and the science of happiness and has created a free online course in human emotion available through YouTube. Gruber is the recipient of the President’s Teaching Scholars Award, Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction, and a UROP Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, co-authored a monthly column for young scientists in Science Careers. 

The Observer asked Gruber a few questions about what she expects for this new role and what changes she has in mind. 

Can you tell our readers a bit about your background? What specific experiences and expertise are you hoping to bring to your new role as editor of Current Directions in Psychological Science?  

I am an interdisciplinary affective and clinical psychologist, with a focus on emotions, well-being, and mental health. My research brings together different approaches and ideas from across psychology, and I’ve worked with many collaborators in different areas of the field. I’ve also been involved in editing roles for other journals, which has given me a broad view of the exciting discoveries happening in psychology. As editor of Current Directions, I’m committed to making sure this collaborative spirit is reflected in the journal, helping us better understand human behavior and well-being. 

What goals do you have for Current Directions under your tenure? Do you envision any significant changes or additions to the journal in terms of policies or the types of research being published?    

My main goal as editor is to make sure that Current Directions reflects the diverse range of voices and perspectives in psychology. Our field grows when we hear from all kinds of researchers, especially those who have been historically underrepresented or excluded from conversations. To do this, I’ll work to make sure our authors and editorial board come from different backgrounds and continents and that we support early-career researchers from underrepresented groups through the Editorial Fellows program. I aim to reduce the reliance on “invite-only” submissions and instead will actively seek out nominations for new ideas from a broader range of voices. By doing so, I hope to ensure that Current Directions highlights the full diversity of psychology and its scientists, as well as the exciting discoveries being made around the world. 

Current Directions features a diverse mix of reviews on various topics such as language, memory and cognition, development, the neural basis of behavior and emotions, various aspects of psychopathology, and theory of mind. What topics are you most interested in seeing represented? What would you like to see more of?  

I’m particularly interested in articles that address real-world issues and challenges that people care about. As our field continues to evolve, I look forward to seeing work that applies psychological insights to real-world challenges, such as mental health in the context of global crises, social justice, conflict and hope for cooperation, and climate change. I’d also love to see more work that crosses traditional disciplinary lines between different areas of psychology to tackle complex problems. Overall, I encourage manuscripts that not only advance our understanding of psychology but might make a difference in people’s lives. 

Articles in Current Directions are written to be accessible to nonexperts, making them ideally suited for use in the classroom as a teaching supplement. How will your experience in science outreach help further the journal’s goal of reaching beyond the research community?  

I’m passionate about making psychological science accessible for everyone. Over the years, I’ve worked to share research in a way that’s engaging and easy for the general public to understand, whether through interview series (e.g., on emotion, mental health, and communicating psychology), writing, or public talks. I’ve also coauthored a psychology textbook used by students around the world, and I’ve contributed to Current Directions’ teaching column that breaks down psychological science for educators and students. As editor, I plan to build upon this by conducting interviews with authors of articles, collaborating with other organizations to bring research to a wider audience, and creating classroom materials that make the research published in Current Directions more accessible and engaging for students and educators alike. 

In your opinion, what’s unique about Current Directions? 

Current Directions is a special “unicorn” journal, as it gives researchers a chance to share their work in a way that’s easy to understand for people outside the academic world. To me, what makes Current Directions unique is its ability to publish the latest research that is engaging and enjoyable for a wide audience—whether you’re a researcher, student, teacher, or just someone curious about psychology. There is something for everyone in Current Directions! 

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