School of Human Ecology

A faculty member smiles while sitting at a conference table with graduate students and their laptops.
Photo by Jeff Miller/UW–Madison

What if we understood ourselves and the people around us in ways that made us happier, healthier, and better prepared to change the world?

Students working at tables in small groups. One student gestures with their hands in the discussion.

Elevate the everyday. Every day.

Undergraduate majors

Four graduate students smiling and working together in the graduate student lounge.

Real lives are what really matter.

Graduate programs

A graduate student presents their research to peers during a poster session.

You'll find us finding a better way.

Research

From parenting in a pandemic to food sovereignty, from strengthening Black families to household finance, we are relentless in our pursuit of greater well-being for children, families, communities, and consumers.

Our research

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School news

Three children peer through a gallery window that says “The Science of Human Thriving Celebrating 100 years of the Child Development Lab".

How do children thrive?

We study how children’s earliest relationships impact lifelong well-being. For 100 years, our Child Development Lab has offered unique learning experiences for UW-Madison students, scholars and preschoolers.

Discover the Lab’s 100 years of impact

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