Steven J. Breckler is executive director of the American Psychological Association's Science Directorate. He oversees programs that support advanced training for scientists, science policy and government relations, testing and assessment, research regulations and workforce analysis. Breckler was appointed to this post in 2004.
Before joining APA, Breckler directed the National Science Foundation's Social Psychology Program. He also helped to design NSF’s Science of Learning Centers program, which bring together scientists of various disciplines to advance understanding of learning.
Breckler was formerly associate professor of psychology at Johns Hopkins University. He is author or coauthor of more than 60 published or conference papers on topics ranging from attitude development to jury functioning, and his research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense. Breckler was also the recipient of an NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award.