Regents Professor
Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, 2026
Robert F. Krueger is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Department of Psychology within the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Over a 30-year career at the University, Professor Krueger has achieved international prominence as a scholar whose transformative research has reshaped the scientific understanding of mental health and illness. His work is characterized by an “unusually balanced excellence” across research, teaching, and service that advances the public good.
Scholarly and Creative Achievement
Professor Krueger’s scholarship has fundamentally shifted the field of psychopathology from traditional categorical models toward empirically based dimensional frameworks. He has been a primary force in correcting the long-held assumption that mental disorders are binary categories, demonstrating instead that they exist on continuous dimensions arranged in a hierarchy. His leadership as a co-founder of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) consortium and his central role in developing the DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) have resulted in world-wide changes in how professionals view and treat mental disorders. These frameworks now inform global diagnostic systems, including the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).
The impact of his research is evidenced by a staggering citation record. Professor Krueger is among the top 100 most highly cited psychologists in history, with over 100,000 citations and an h-index of 169, according to Google Scholar. According to Clarivate Analytics, his citation impact is among the top 1% in the world across all fields of science. Beyond classification, he has pioneered population-based genetic research that integrates social context to understand how environmental factors interface with genetic liability to shape health outcomes broadly conceived.
Teaching and Advising
As an accomplished teacher and mentor, Professor Krueger has balanced high-level research with a deep commitment to student development. He has co-instructed large introductory courses with over 1,000 students and taught specialized doctoral seminars on clinical assessment and psychopathology. Students frequently comment on his innovative and rigorous teaching methods that prioritize active rather than passive learning.
Professor Krueger has successfully advised over 20 doctoral students and eight postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have secured leadership positions at prestigious institutions like Purdue, McGill, and Stony Brook. He also spearheaded an NIH-funded T32 training grant, “Neurobehavioral aspects of personality and psychopathology,” which helped prepare the next generation of scientists to work at the intersection of these fields.
Professional Service
Professor Krueger’s service extends from local departmental leadership to international professional governance. At the University, he has served as director of the Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research PhD Program, leading the effort to establish its accreditation with the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). His University-wide service includes membership on the CLA Assembly and involvement with the Center for Cognitive Science.
Internationally, Professor Krueger has edited several flagship journals, including serving as editor of the Journal of Personality Disorders for 15 years. He has also chaired grant review panels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and held leadership roles in professional societies dedicated to psychopathology research.