ABSTRACT
The invitation to write this chapter came at a time when I was at the threshold of retiring from government service (but certainly not from academia). With considerably less work pressure ahead of me, I was excited to finally have time for the things I’ve always wanted to do, including writing my autobiography. Working on this chapter was also a golden opportunity to retrospect, to take stock of the past 36 years of work in my discipline of human development, and to look forward to the future. In the coming pages, I will reflect on my varied academic and professional experiences and mentors that influenced and impacted my career trajectory. First, I’ll provide a brief snapshot of my own childhood and education before examining the different aspects of developmental experiences of adolescents in different behavior settings that have guided my research throughout the years.
