Peter Suedfeld

Who is Peter Suedfeld?

Peter Suedfeld is a Canadian/American/Hungarian psychology professor, psychologist, writer, scientist and researcher. With a Ph.D. from Princeton University, Dr. Suedfeld has spent his career studying human beings' reactions to coping with the world around them. He is one of the pioneering researchers in the field of REST, and was the founding President of IRIS. His archival and field research studied the reactions and adaptation of crews in the Antarctic, the Canadian High Arctic, and space vehicles. The findings were among the first to emphasize the positive aspects and consequences of these experiences. He has successfully urged space agencies to consider and assess methods for enhancing astronauts’ psychological well-being rather than focus completely on treating adverse effects.

Suedfeld is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association, the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research, and other scientific organizations. He is a corresponding member of the International Academy of Astronautics, and the only psychologist elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. He has received the highest awards for scientific contributions from the Canadian Psychological Association and the International Society of Political Psychology, as well as the Antarctica Service Medal of the National Science Foundation and the Zachor Award of the Parliament of Canada for contributions to Canadian society. He has served on many advisory and consultative committees in the United States and Canada, and has chaired the Canadian Antarctic Research Program and the Life Sciences Advisory Committee of the Canadian Space Agency. He continues his research at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia.