Equity and Inclusion

Our Commitment

The Department of Psychology at the University at Buffalo is committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all people and a community where people respect and trust each other enough to have difficult conversations. We promote diversity because every individual has inherent worth and diversity, equity and inclusion are intrinsic to this core belief. We expect members of our department to strive towards these same goals by being courteous to others by being willing to listen to differing viewpoints and opinions and by recognizing the essential value in all human beings.

Creating an equitable and inclusive environment starts by recognizing our current limitations in this regard. As psychology researchers and instructors, we are not immune to prejudice, bias and partiality. We comprehend the need to examine our own motives, experiences and interpretations as well as the need to include marginalized voices. Sometimes we make mistakes. However, we strive to seek reconciliation with those we have harmed and to learn from our previous errors. We further recognize that systems of oppression and bias have led to unequal opportunities and unequal outcomes for some groups of people and seek to change those systems when it is in our power to do so.

The Department of Psychology welcomes the Department’s Equity and Inclusion Committee’s guidance to align departmental policy, practices and culture in support of the stated goals. This includes the full range of departmental activities including undergraduate education, graduate training, research, delivery of psychological services, hiring and promotion and community outreach.

See equity and inclusion resources

Equity and inclusion funding

Psychology Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Grant Program

This grant program supports Psychology students whose research, education or professional development activities advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the field of psychology.

Who is eligible

Any Psychology undergraduate student (majors only), master’s student or PhD student with an activity aligned with DEI goals is eligible to apply.

What activities can be funded

Grants of up to $1,000 may support activities such as:

A project focused on unfair application of policies or practices within psychology
A research project examining a psychological phenomenon in a population not well represented in existing literature
A professional experience that expands opportunity or access or supports fair application of policies
Conference participation that increases representation of underrepresented groups, including underrepresented minorities, first-generation students and gender minorities
A community engagement activity introducing Buffalo-area high school students to psychology

This list is not exhaustive. A key review criterion is how clearly the application explains the potential impact on diversity, equity or inclusion in psychology.

Funding limits

Given the budget and scope of this award, cost of living expenses cannot be funded. The number and size of awards depend on available funds and the number of applications submitted.

How to apply

Application basics

Application form: To apply, download and email the completed application form to Joyce Lacy, PhD.

Download: DEI Student Grant Program Application

Statement of support: A statement of support from a Psychology Department faculty member or instructor is required.

Questions: For questions about applying for the Psychology DEI grant, contact Joyce Lacy, PhD, Co-Chair of the Psychology Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Application deadline

Psychology DEI grant applications are accepted yearly, early in the calendar year. The next deadline is January 10, 2027.

Review process

A subcommittee of the department’s Equity and Inclusion Committee reviews submissions after the deadline. Faculty with an existing mentorship relationship with an applicant will be recused. Applications are reviewed with explicit consideration of career stage and evaluated based on the criteria above and alignment with the applicant’s goals. Based on the available budget, the committee determines the number of awards and funding levels.

Key definitions

Diversity encompasses protected characteristics, such as age, gender, ability, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity.
Social equity is impartiality, fairness and justice for all people in social policy.
Inclusion is the action or state of being included within a group or structure.

Evaluation criteria

Applications are evaluated across four domains:

Impact (5 points): Potential to contribute to diversity, equity or inclusion in psychology
Candidate enhancement (5 points): Extent to which the activity broadens the applicant’s expertise or exposure to DEI issues
Dissemination (3 points): Strength and clarity of the plan to share what is learned
Technical quality (3 points): Writing quality, clarity of rationale and adherence to guidelines

Recent awardees

Noor M. Al-Khaouli, undergraduate student, awarded funds for a research project on advanced care planning and/or to present at the Midwestern Psychological Association conference.

Adwoa Ampiah-Bonney, graduate student, awarded funds to attend and present at the International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition.

Esther Hanbyeol Lee, graduate student, awarded funds for a research project investigating international students’ perceptions of environments.

Gabby Pascuzzi, graduate student, awarded funds for a research project on gender and power beliefs in same-gender romantic relationships.

Izilda Pereira-Jorge, graduate student, awarded funds for a research project on healthcare safety cues among Black women.

Lowell Santoro, undergraduate student, awarded funds to attend and present at the HITOP and Midwestern Psychological Association conferences.

Margaret Azu, graduate student, awarded funds to present research at the meeting of the International Society for Research on Aggression.

Joseph Cook, undergraduate student, awarded funds for research project examining women’s sexual orientation and alcohol misuse behavior.

Nicole Koefler, graduate student, awarded funds for research project examining safety and threat responses of people from marginalized identities.

Ashmita Mukherjee, graduate student, awarded funds to present research at annual meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence.

Chloe Richard, graduate student, awarded funds for research project examining predictors of perceived burdensomeness among racially diverse adolescents.

Aria Wiseblatt, graduate student, awarded funds for dissertation research examining Black women’s sexual assault risk and protective strategies.

Verenice Ascencio Gutierrez, graduate student, awarded funds to attend and present at the Association for Chemoreception Sciences Conference.

Sherika Caliste, graduate student, awarded funds for a research project examining whether Black and White participants feel similar to or different from Black or White messengers relaying factual events of racial injustice.

Ya-Hui Chang, graduate student, awarded funds to attend and present at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Conference.

Kamila Nixon, graduate student, awarded funds to attend and present at the Association for Chemoreception Sciences Conference.

Zaviera Panlilio, graduate student, awarded funds for a research project on UB's First-Generation Peer Mentoring program.

Sara Tauriello, graduate student, awarded funds for a research project on leveraging positive parent-child interactions to promote healthy child dietary intake among racially diverse families with lower income.

Dehnique Defrietas, undergraduate, awarded funds for materials for a research project examining the effects of bird watching on well-being among students of marginalized and non-marginalized backgrounds.

Alexis Harrell, undergraduate, awarded funds to attend the Humanity in Action Fellowship meeting in Warsaw, Poland.

Ashmita Mukherjee, graduate student, awarded funds to attend and present at the Research Society on Alcoholism Conference in Orlando, FL.

Additional scholarships

The UB Scholarship Portal provides access to hundreds of scholarships across campus and recommends opportunities after you complete a general application. Scholarships are available for students with disabilities, immigrants or children of immigrants, students of Hispanic heritage, students who can demonstrate tribal affiliation, and low-income women with children.

Additional funding resources are available through the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships, including guidance on letters of recommendation, personal statements and interviews.

Equity and Inclusion Committee

Psychology's Equity and Inclusion Committee will advise the department chair on ways to enhance diversity in hiring, recruitment, admissions and retention. The committee will also liaise with UB administrators who oversee diversity, equity and inclusion, and will engage in outreach with the local community consistent with the committee's mission.