Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., is Professor, Psychology Department at Rutgers University, Director, Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab ([http://www.secdlab.org)/]www.secdlab.org), Co-Director of the Rutgers-based Academy for SEL in Schools, which offers online certificates in SEL Instruction and School Leadership (SELinSchools.org) and a member of the Leadership Team for SEL4NJ and SEL4US (www.SEL4US.org).  He received the Joseph E. Zins Memorial Senior Scholar Award for Social-Emotional Learning from CASEL, the Sanford McDonnell Award for Lifetime Achievement in Character Education, the Myrna B. Shure SEL Lifetime of Achievement  Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the European Network for Social-Emotional Competence.   Research interests include social-emotional, character, and purpose development in schools and families, promotion of social justice, and SEL/SECD implementation and sustainability.  Recent books include Nurturing Students’ Character: Everyday Teaching Activities for Social-Emotional Learning; Social-Emotional Learning Lab: A Comprehensive SEL Resource Kit,  Joys and Oys of Parenting, and the just-published Morning Classroom Conversations: Build Your Students’ Social-Emotional, Character, and Communication Skills Every Day (Corwin), Addressing equity through culturally responsive education and SEL, (NPRinc.com), and Students Taking Action Together: 5 Teaching Techniques to Cultivate SEL, Civic Engagement, and a Healthy Democracy (ASCD). He writes a blog on ECD for Edutopia (www.edutopia.org/profile/maurice-j-elias).