Thuy-vy Nguyen

Founder & Principal Investigator of Solitude Lab

Durham, England, United Kingdom

About

I am a renowned expert in solitude studies. I received my PhD in Social Psychology from University of Rochester, Master's Degree in Positive Psychology from Claremont Graduate University, and Bacherlor's Degree in Cognitive Science from University of California Irvine. I am leading the Solitude Lab, where my team explores the nuances and impacts of solitude, bridging between multiple areas including experimental psychology, emotion and cognitive sciences. Often in my work I also collaborate in Durham County Council and AgeUK to understand facets of solitary experiences that are salient to real people in their real-life environment, beyond the lab settings. I am also passionate about sharing my insights with public audiences. You can check out my Tedx talk in 2018 and my recent talk at Bright Ideas Gathering in 2023. My research has been featured in various popular media outlets such as The Independent, MPR News, Aeon Magazine, The New York Times, NPR, Business Insider, and Today.com, underscoring its wide-reaching influence and relevance.

Experience

  • Durham University (6 yrs 10 mos)
    • Honorary Fellow
      Feb 2026 - Present · 5 mos

    • Associate Professor
      Sep 2019 - Feb 2026 · 6 yrs 6 mos

  • Associate Editor at PSPB at Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP)
    Jan 2025 - Present · 1 yr 6 mos

  • Founder at Solitude Lab
    Sep 2019 - Present · 6 yrs 10 mos