Canady Diversity Science Fellowship: Department of Psychology

Canady Diversity Science Fellowship

Herman George Canady Diversity Science Post-Doctoral Scholar in the Northwestern University Department of Psychology

American society and the world in general are becoming increasingly diverse. More critically, vast disparities and structural inequalities within and across societies continue to widen as does the persistent harm to historically marginalized peoples and communities. We consider historically marginalized communities as referring to groups of people whose identities in terms of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, economic class, and/or ability status locate them at the margins of a sociopolitical structure that is organized to advantage white, cis-heteronormative, males with socioeconomic and ability privileges. The field of psychology has a long history of disciplinary practices and norms that perpetuate a biased and inaccurate representation of the human experience. Diversity science in psychology is an intentional effort to disrupt this trend. Diversity science acknowledges and disrupts structural inequalities in psychological science and society. Diversity science scholarship is committed to understanding the myriad ways in which humans are diverse and actualizing this understanding in ways that foster the common good and value diversity as a human strength. As both an intellectual discipline and health service profession, psychology is well-suited, and accountable, to address this challenge and to exert leadership.

The Northwestern Faculty recognizes the value of a diverse community in supporting an intellectually challenging and inclusive environment to create a psychological science that is inclusive and equitable. To this end, Northwestern Psychology has created the Herman George Canady Diversity Science Postdoctoral Fellowship. Canady (1901-1970) was a foundational Black psychologist and pioneer for diversity science. A clinical and social psychologist trained at Northwestern University (BA, 1927; PhD, 1941), Canady is well known for exposing racial bias in psychological research and testing in studies of intelligence. The Canady Postdoctoral Fellowship will nurture the intellectual community and commitment to diversity science and support scholars from diverse ethnic-racial, socioeconomic, gender, and cultural backgrounds whose lived experiences and research foci contribute significantly to pressing questions of diversity and equity in areas of Cognitive, Brain and Behavior, and Clinical, Personality, Development & Health, and Social Psychology.

Qualified applicants will be invited to join one or more of the active psychology labs in our department and work closely with mentors on dynamic research projects as well as career development. In addition, Canady scholars will interact with the department’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and contribute to diversity science programming and instruction in the department. A list of the department labs currently interested in mentoring Canady Fellows is provided below.

Desired qualifications include: a PhD in psychology or related field; demonstrated evidence of research productivity; excellent methodological expertise; experience or demonstrated interest in conducting research on critical topics related to diversity science in psychology. Salary and benefits are commensurate with NIH guidelines, and funding is available for up to two-years (appointments are for one year, but renewable for a second year, based on progress/merit). The start date is September 2024, and review of applications will begin on March 15.

How to Apply: Interested candidates should feel free to communicate with potential mentors (listed below) as well as the members of the department’s diversity committee to explore mutual interests. To apply, submit a cover letter (please highlight one or two specific mentors whose work aligns with your interests and goals), CV, statement of research interests (including plans for research to be conducted while a postdoctoral fellow) with demonstrated commitment to diversity science, and a writing sample to chair of the diversity committee (galen@northwestern.edu).

POTENTIAL MENTORS OR CO-MENTORS

Mark Beeman – Creative Cognition Lab

Galen Bodenhausen – Social Cognition Lab

Mesmin Destin – Destin Lab

Renee Engeln – Body & Media Lab

Steve Franconeri – Visual Thinking Lab

Marcia Grabowecky – Multisensory Lab

Sid Horton – Horton Lab

Michael Kraus - Kraus Lab - arriving Fall 2024

Vijay Mittal – Mittal Lab

Dan Molden – Molden Lab

Dan Mroczek – Lifespan Personality & Health Lab