Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Author Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who set the stage for the “positive psychology” movement, will speak at California State University, Northridge on Monday, Feb. 9.

His lecture, “Flow and the Quality of Life,” will explore his vast knowledge of the notion of “flow” and his years of researching and writing on the topic. His speech is scheduled to take place from 7:30p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Kurland Hall of CSUN’s Valley Performing Arts Center located near the corner of Lindley Avenue and Nordhoff Street.

“From the very beginning of time, the pursuit of happiness has been an enduring question pondered upon and debated by both the everyday person and academics,” said Stella Theodoulou, dean of CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “Today, professor Csikszentmihalyi is one of the most respected social theorists trying to find the answer to that question by contributing pioneering work on positive thinking and understanding of happiness, creativity and human fulfillment. It is an honor to bring him to campus to expose the CSUN community to his search on what makes life worth living.”

Csikszentmihalyi, the national bestselling author of “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience,” has written more than 15 books and 120 journal articles. A distinguished professor of psychology and management at Claremont Graduate University, Csikszentmihalyi is also the founder and co-director of Claremont’s Quality of Life Research Center. His 2008 TED talk, “Flow, the Secret to Happiness,” has more than 2.5 million views.

The Association for Psychological Science has named him one of the top distinguished researchers and leaders in the field of psychology. In 2009, Csikszentmihalyi was awarded the Clifton Strengths Prize. He received the Széchenyi Prize at a ceremony in Budapest in 2011, and he was also awarded Hungary’s highest honor bestowed on a civilian, the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary.

Reservations for the lecture are available online through Eventbrite at https://eventbrite.com/event/15490547645. Seating is limited.

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences