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Dr. John Feldhusen
Gifted Author, Advocate and Innovator

A leader in the field of gifted education for so many years, Dr. John Feldhusen passed away recently after a long and distinguished career serving the needs of the gifted.

After growing up in Wisconsin and attending the University of Wisconsin where he earned a B.A., M.S., and Ph.D., Dr. Feldhusen stayed on at the University to start his academic career as an assistant professor. This led to him accepting a position as associate professor of educational psychology at Purdue University in 1961, beginning a career spanning four decades, in which he contributed numerous innovations to gifted education.

For many gifted students, Dr. Feldhusen’s greatest contribution was founding Purdue's Gifted Education Resource Institute (GERI) in 1977. He continued as its director until 1995 helping further the development of gifted and talented youth through a variety of methods including research, public education and teacher training programs. Through his work at GERI, Dr. Feldhusen was involved at the state and national level helping develop policy on gifted education while also working with foundations and corporations to develop targeted, cost-effective programs for gifted students.

By publishing more than 300 articles, chapters and books throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Feldhusen made great contributions to the study of giftedness. Some of his other prominent accomplishments include: receiving the International Award for Excellence in research from the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children in 1997 and the Mensa Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002; serving as the editor of Gifted Child Quarterly; and, serving as the association editor for the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC).

After playing such an important role at Purdue and in the gifted community for so many years, Dr. Feldhusen made an immeasurable impact on gifted education. Whether it was through his research, creation of GERI, or finding educational opportunities, Dr. Feldhusen's motivation was always doing what was best for gifted students. Read Dr. Feldhusen's Purdue University biography. Read Dr. Feldhusen's obituary.

"The identification of gifts and talents is a long-term process...but long range observations by parents, teachers, and grandparents can provide the information needed to clarify the nature and levels of children’s talents and pave the way to effective educational programs and services."