Lan Nguyen Chaplin, Ph.D.
My path to marketing wasn’t exactly traditional. I started out studying neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on behavioral medicine, and spent a few years working as a sleep researcher on a pre-med track—until I realized medicine wasn’t for me (it turns out feeling faint around blood is a problem).
What I did love was psychology. That curiosity led me to marketing, where I could explore consumer behavior—why people buy, what motivates them, and how products and brands contribute to consumers' identities and well-being. I became especially interested in younger consumers, inspired by watching my nieces and nephews navigate their growing fascination with material things.
I’ve been in higher education for 25 years. Throughout my career, as a professor, researcher, and consultant, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to connect with people from all over the world and from many different walks of life. Each interaction—whether in the classroom, through research, or in practice—has broadened my perspective and challenged me to grow. My students, colleagues, and collaborators have shaped how I think, how I teach, and how I approach my work. They’ve pushed me to be more thoughtful, more open, and more aware of experiences beyond my own. In many ways, they’ve made me not just better at what I do, but a better person.
• Ph.D.
• University of Pennsylvania: B.A.in Neuroscience (Concentration: Behavioral Medicine)
• University of Minnesota: Ph.D. in Business Administration (Concentration: Marketing)
• Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors in the world by Poets and Quants
• Featured on LinkedIn News, LinkedIn Catalyst: “Making the Job Work”
• Articles that were featured as Harvard Business Review Editors’ “Favorite Reads”:
1. "What I Wish I Had Known About My Mother"
2. "How to Disrupt a System That Was Built to Hold You Back"
3. "Let's Talk About Our Career Failures"
• Articles that were featured as Harvard Business Review Readers’ “Favorite Reads” and/or Top 10 “Most Popular” Harvard Business Review articles:
1. “How to Disrupt a System That Was Built to Hold You Back”
2. “What You Should Chase Instead of a Dream Job”
3. “How to Move Past an Embarrassing Moment at Work”
4. “How to Get Comfortable ‘Being Yourself’ at Work"
5. “Let's Talk About Our Career Failures"
6. "What I Wish I Had Known About My Mother"
• Featured in Harvard Business Publishing Editors’, Inspiring Minds: Advice from Women in Academia, “4 Ways to Advocate for the Academic Career You Really Wa
• Featured in HBR Editors’ article, “Dealing with Career Failures: Our Favorite Reads
• Featured in Nature Briefing: “How to Survive Teaching Evaluations”
• Article, "Most Leaders Don't Celebrate Their Wins-But They Should" Featured in:
-HBR's Management Tip of the Week (December 9, 2025)
-HBR's Management Tip of the Day (November 28, 2025)
-Harvard Business Review | The Insider (November 17, 2025)
-Harvard Business Review | Weekly Hotlist (November 17, 2025)
• Co-Winner, 2018 Best Article Award, Journal of Consumer Research (with Marsha Richins)
Marsha L. Richins and Lan Nguyen Chaplin (2015)
• Finalist, 2020 Best Article Award, International Journal of Research in Marketing (IJRM). Chaplin, Lan Nguyen, Tina M. Lowrey, Ayalla A. Ruvio, L.J. Shrum, Kathleen D. Vohs
• Association for Consumer Research
• Society for Consumer Psychology
• Leadership Council for Cradles to Crayons Chicago chapter
What do you attribute your success to?
I owe so much of who I am to my family. I come from a Vietnamese refugee family, and as the youngest of 14 children, I was lifted by the sacrifices of those who came before me. Many of my older siblings set aside their own education so the younger ones could have that opportunity. Growing up in that environment instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility—not pressure, but purpose.
I’ve never felt entitled to success, only grateful for the chance to work toward it. My path hasn’t been perfect—I’ve made plenty of mistakes, some of them significant—but each one has taught me something and helped me grow. That resilience comes directly from my family and the example they set.
Any achievement I am proud of doesn’t feel like mine alone; it reflects the collective effort and sacrifices of my family. That same foundation shapes how I give back. Having experienced hardship, I remember the generosity of those who supported us with basic needs like food, clothing, and care. Giving back now isn’t something I feel obligated to do—it’s something I feel fortunate to be able to do.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Someone once told me to go where people value me. They told me to leave if people don't value me, and go somewhere where people see my worth. The person told me that it's okay to give up on toxic places and people. Just don't give up on myself. It's a strength to leave when you know you're not being valued and you're not reaching your full potential. If you are not happy somewhere, it does not mean that it's a weakness when you leave.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women that not everyone is going to like you, and that's okay. You have your standards. You have your values. You have your unique personality. To be authentically you, not everyone is going to like you. The sooner you figure this out, the happier you're going to be. You'll stop trying to please people so much, which can be costly to your own comfort and happiness.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
AI is both the biggest challenge and opportunity in my field of academia right now. As a professor, the core issue is that many traditional assignments can now be completed by AI, making it harder to assess what students truly understand. At the same time, banning AI isn’t realistic—or beneficial—since it’s already embedded in the real world.
The challenge has shifted from preventing AI use to teaching students how to use it effectively. That requires redesigning assignments, incorporating more in-class work, and creating opportunities for students to critically evaluate AI-generated responses. Ultimately, the classroom becomes the safest place for students to experiment with AI, make mistakes, and develop the judgment they’ll need beyond it.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Kindness and generosity with time and knowledge. To me, it doesn't matter how brilliant a person is, or how well-known they are in the field. If they're just not kind people, I don't really want to work with them. I love when people are generous with their time because it shows they don't think they're too important for you. And I love when people share their knowledge to help others be better at what they do.
Locations
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL