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Diversity in Research Awards

As we live in an increasingly diverse, globalized, and integrated society, the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recognizes the need to develop and promote more than ever a psychological knowledge base that addresses the diversity of human behavior. Consistent with the Department’s awareness and commitment to diversity-related issues in psychological research and to the recognition of researchers from underrepresented groups who conduct psychological research, these Diversity in Research Awards were developed to acknowledge students’ research contributions concerning diverse populations and recognize outstanding research conducted by students from under-represented groups.

The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience will annually invite nominations and select the recipients of the awards, which will be announced at the end of each academic year. Nominations will be solicited soon for our 2019-20 Diversity in Research Awards.

Diversity Awards

The purpose of the J. Steven Reznick and Bernadette Gray-Little Awards for Diversity Enhancement in Psychological Research is to encourage and honor students who make a contribution to the advancement of knowledge concerning issues that face diverse populations or that are of concern to diverse populations. This award will be given annually to one undergraduate and one graduate student whose work best exemplifies a contribution to psychological knowledge about diversity. For this award, diverse populations are defined as groups who have been traditionally underrepresented in the psychological research of a particular research topic, including but not limited to race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, religious affiliation, age, and socioeconomic status. Each year, the J. Steven Reznick Award will be awarded to one undergraduate student, and the Bernadette Gray-Little Award will be awarded to a graduate student.

The purpose of the Susan M. McHale and Ernest C. Davenport Awards for Outstanding Psychological Research by a Student Who Enhances Diversity is to encourage and honor students from under-represented groups who make a contribution to the advancement of knowledge of psychological science. Two awards will be given each year recognizing students whose work exemplifies outstanding psychological research: one to an undergraduate student from an under-represented group, and one to a graduate student from an under-represented group. For these awards, under-representation is defined as groups who have been traditionally underrepresented among psychological researchers, including, but not limited to, groups underrepresented through their race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, religious affiliation, and socioeconomic status. The research conducted by award recipients need not be related to diversity. Each year, the Susan M. McHale Award will be given to one undergraduate student, and the Ernest C. Davenport Award will be given to a graduate student.

Read more about the namesakes and inspirations for our Diversity in Research Awards.

Past Winners