The Department of Psychology at Syracuse University is committed to supporting and promoting the diversity and inclusion of various cultural, racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and age identities within the university and surrounding community. Diversity is one of our central values. Like the University’s Diversity and Inclusion, we aspire to be a diverse, accessible and inclusive campus environment for students, faculty, and staff.  Below you can learn more about how we attend to diversity and inclusion in our classrooms, research, clinical practice, and programming. 

Faculty in all subdisciplines represented in the department are committed to enhancing the science of diversity and equity, training graduate and undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds, and offering various training opportunities in diversity-related research. Below, please find selected examples of faculty research programs and student research training opportunities (Click each faculty name for detailed information).  

• Dr. Sara Burke’s research focuses on intergroup bias by examining stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and experiences of stigma. 
• Dr. Leonard Newman’s research focuses on the motivational aspects of social cognition specifically in dehumanization, social stigma, and defensive and self-protective processes in judgment and memory.
• Dr. Catherine Cornwell is specialized in research related to animal models of early-life adversity and enrichment effects on sensory, cognitive and social development [Diversity areas addressed:  disability, developmental age, socioeconomic status].
• Dr. Aesoon Park specializes in research on differential risk pathways (e.g., racial discrimination, alcohol metabolism genes) toward health disparities in alcohol use/misuse, substance use, & sleep deficiency among individuals from racial/ethnic minorities and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Dr. Sarah Woolf-King‘s research focuses on the development of behavioral and psychological interventions to enhance the well-being of people of marginalized genders and sexualities and people living with HIV.
• Dr. Stephen Maisto’s research focuses on the effects of alcohol and sexual risk in men who have sex with men and implications for HIV prevention and intervention.
• Dr. Les Gellis’ research involves the association of socioeconomic status with sleep problems.   
• Dr. Tanya Eckert’s research relates to the assessment and intervention of children’s academic and behavioral difficulties. She conducts randomized clinical trials to improve the academic and behavioral functioning of elementary-aged students in urban school settings.  [Diversity areas addressed:  disability, gender, language, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status].
• Dr. Natalie Russo’s research focuses on strengths and weaknesses in sensory, perceptual, attentional and cognitive processes among individuals with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities.  [Diversity areas addressed: disability].
• Dr. Jillian Scheer’s sexual and gender minorities' alcohol use and related morbidities by specifying psychosocial stressors (i.e., violence exposure, identity-related stressors).
• Dr. Katie Kidwell’s health disparities in obesity prevalence among individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and racial/ethnic minorities; development of culturally sensitive health interventions.

The Department of Psychology attempts to offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses that consider topics related to diversity. You will find a list of some of the relevant courses below. Please consult the course catalog for a complete listing of courses in Psychology.

• Undergraduate
  • PSY 205  Foundations of Human Behavior
  • PSY 329  Biopsychology Perspectives on Women's Health
  • PSY 375  Cross Cultural Psychology
  • PSY 379  Social Psychology of Stigma
• Graduate
  • PSY 617 - Individual Differences and Developmental Disability
  • PSY 640 - Psychology of Gender
  • PSY 775 - Stereotyping, Prejudice and Stigma
  • PSY 860 – Diversity and Cultural Issues in Assessment and Psychotherapy

In our psychology doctoral student training clinic, we honor, value, and appreciate diversity. Our doctoral students and faculty strive to provide quality services that are sensitive to all types of individual differences, including cultural, racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age and other valued components of diversity. We work to create an environment which promotes awareness and acceptance of unique individual differences. Our goal is to provide culturally relevant and appropriate services in accordance to each client's personal preferences and needs.

The Departmental Diversity and Inclusion Committee promotes diversity and inclusion across the department, including undergraduate and graduate training, recruitment and retention, and professional development. This faculty committee oversees annual workshops and works closely with the Psychology Doctoral Students’ Committee for Diversity and Inclusion.

The Psychology Doctoral Students’ Committee for Diversity and Inclusion is a collaborative committee of self-selected graduate students, working together to: foster an inclusive and supportive environment within the Psychology Doctoral Programs in relation to multiple aspects of diversity, create initiatives to educate and engage the broader department in achieving shared goals related to diversity and inclusion, collaborate with the broader department to enhance program policies and procedures related to issues of diversity, and pursue increased outreach and service to community organizations.

Useful Syracuse University Diversity and Inclusion links

• Fellowships for Racial and Ethnic Minority Graduate Students
• Equal Opportunity, Inclusion, and Resolution Services
• Office of Multicultural Affairs
• Women in Science and Engineering
• LGBT Resource Center
• Office of Disability Services
• Office of Financial Aid
• Diverse Undergraduate and Graduate Student Organizations