Purdue HHS Announces New Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Margo J. Monteith, professor of psychological sciences, has been appointed as associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in Purdue University’s College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS), effective January 1, 2021. In this role, Dr. Monteith will develop and lead college-wide DEI initiatives, serve as the HHS liaison to DEI-focused committees and groups on campus, continue to lead the HHS DEI Committee, and collaborate with HHS unit heads and directors to successfully advance DEI programming and initiatives at all levels of our college.

Prior to her arrival at Purdue in 2006, Monteith was a faculty member at University of Kentucky (1994-2006) and at Texas Tech University (1992-1994). She has served in various administrative roles in PSY (e.g., director of diversity, equity and inclusion, director of graduate studies), on various college committees (e.g., the Graduate Education Policy and Curriculum Committee), and in various university diversity-relevant roles (e.g., Provost’s Advisory Committee on Diversity).

Monteith holds a PhD in social psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research examines stereotyping and prejudice, inequity and discrimination, and fostering positive intergroup relations and inclusion. Examples of her research foci include investigations of the self-regulation of prejudice; strategies and processes of change in implicit stereotyping and prejudice; effective strategies for confronting prejudice; racial attitudes, experiences with discrimination, and well-being among targets of bias.

She is an elected fellow in five major scientific organizations (e.g., American Psychological Society). In 2020, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues based on her substantial contributions to the mission of applying psychological research to important social issues. She is the recipient of several additional honors and awards, including the 2019 HHS Research Career Achievement Award. Some of her notable activities include having served on the executive council for the Society for Experimental Social Psychology and as president of the Midwestern Psychological Association. She is currently editor-in-chief of Social Psychological and Personality Science.

“Dr. Monteith has a life-long dedication and commitment to enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and has maintained a strong research record in these areas for more than 30 years,” said Marion K. Underwood, distinguished professor of psychological sciences and dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. “Moreover, she has demonstrated her ability to translate her knowledge to make a positive impact on Purdue University. She is an outstanding fit for this important leadership position in HHS.”

Monteith has received numerous internal and external grants to address pressing social issues, including female under-representation in positions of power and leadership, the implications of diversity and inclusion for science and society, and student inclusion on the college campus. She is a past recipient of a Purdue University Diversity Transformation Award, which enabled her and a team of contributors from across campus to develop the Boiler Inclusion Project. This project draws from the empirical literature related to intergroup relations, diversity and inclusion to build a program intended to set in motion a range of positive intergroup behaviors. The program explores a variety of topics related to diversity and inclusion, and includes five professionally developed videos that transport viewers into situations that encourage learning, engagement and competence.