Reflections on a Legendary Contribution to the Empirical Study of Adolescence

As Daniel Offer completed his presentation at the end of a festschrift held in his honor at the Institute for Juvenile Research, we were all deeply touched and teary-eyed. After a long silence that gave us time to realize the significance of what we had just experienced, we burst in heartfelt applause expressing our warm admiration. We had gathered for two days to discuss his groundbreaking research and his powerful influence on us as researchers and as individuals. From the conference’s start to its finish, it was clear that Dan had done much to revolutionize our understanding of adolescent development. It also was clear that he still was teaching and inspiring us by example, by modeling what generativity is all about. Being with him and Marjorie – his wife, co-investigator and frequent coauthor – reminded us of the significance of loving what we do, of caring for those around us, and of trying to make the world a better place. …