About me
Jaime Kurtz is a professor of psychology at James Madison University, where she specializes in the study of happiness and savoring. In addition to being published in top peer-reviewed journals, her work has received recent mention in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Runner's World. Jaime is the author of The Happy Traveler: Unpacking the Secrets of Better Vacations (2017; Oxford University Press) and Our New Social Life: Science-Backed Strategies for Meaningful Connection (2025; Oxford University Press). She is also the creator and director of a JMU study-abroad program, Exploring the Good Life in Scandinavia, where students embark on a tour of two of the world’s happiest nations, Denmark and Sweden. Jaime earned her Ph.D. at the University of Virginia and is a proud Charlottesville resident, a distance-running enthusiast, and -- naturally - an avid traveler.
