The Distinguished Lecture in Psychology
Thursday, February 26, 2026
4pm
AOK Library GalleryMelanie Killen, Ph.D.
Distinguished University Professor, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology
University of Maryland, College Park
Creating Inclusive Classrooms in Childhood: Theory, Research, and Applications
Developmental science perspectives on social exclusion provide a window into determining how to reduce social inequalities and increase positive social relationships. Children begin to understand concepts of fairness and equality early and recognize that social groups often exclude others for unfair reasons. Challenging groups to be more inclusive is costly, however, and may result in exclusion from their group which provides protection, safety, and enjoyment. Facilitating positive cross-group friendships helps reduce “in-group vs. out-group” attitudes which are a salient part of why biases forms in the first place. The negative consequences of experiencing social exclusion based on group identity include depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal. This necessitates action to promote healthy child development and a more inclusive society. In this talk, I will discuss our recent research findings on children’s viewpoints about fairness and social exclusion. Then I will discuss our school-based program called Developing Inclusive Youth. We are currently creating an AI-powered Teacher App to accompany the program, which I will describe during the talk.
Hosted by the Department of Psychology and co-sponsored by the Center for Social Science Scholarship.
The Mullen Lecture
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
4pm
AOK Library GalleryJanet Currie, Ph.D.
Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, Emeritus
Princeton University
Investing in Children to Address the Youth Mental Health Crisis
Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called the child mental health crisis the “defining public health crisis of our time.” This talk will first outlines the costs of the child mental health crisis and then address several counter-productive myths about its nature. I show that the child mental health crisis is not new, but has existed for decades. Changes in screening, measurement, and treatment options account for an important part of the recent rise in diagnosed cases. I also show that youth suicide rates vary widely across both U.S. states and across countries with similar levels of measured mental illness, suggesting that other factors, such as access to firearms, are an important determinant. The last part of the talk turns to prevention and treatment, showing that several types of investments can improve child mental health and prevent suicide, although much more research is needed.
Hosted by the Department of Economics and co-sponsored by the Center for Social Science Scholarship.
The Low Lecture
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
4pm
AOK Library GalleryWarren Milteer, Jr., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
U.S. History, Early America, Nineteenth-Century U.S.
The Georrge Washington University
Out of This Strife Will Come Freedom:
Free People of Color and the Fight for Equal Rights in the Civil War EraAt the outbreak of the Civil War, the vast majority of the nation’s people of color were enslaved. Yet nearly half a million of these people were free. For the first time, Warren Eugene Milteer Jr. recounts the story of free people of color in the Civil War era United States. He shows how the nation’s growing divide in the years leading up to the war, the events of the war itself, and the policies of the postwar period shaped the lives of free people of color living in various regions of the country. His telling also reflects on the ways free people of color used their voices, military service, and political acumen to push for a better version the United States. Calling upon their experiences fighting for equal rights in the prewar years, free people of color took advantage of the disruption created by the war to lobby for the end of discrimination across nation.
Hosted by the Department of History and co-sponsored by the Center for Social Science Scholarship.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
4pm
AOK Library GalleryAmber Spry, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Politics
Department of African and African American Studies
Brandeis University
Dr. Amber Spry’s research and teaching focuses on political attitudes and behavior in United States politics. Specifically, Dr. Spry is interested in political behavior, identity, race and ethnic politics, political psychology, and survey design methods. She received her Ph.D. from Columbia University and her B.A. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Hosted by CS3 in collaboration with support from the Division of Research and Creative Achievement.
The Eckert Lecture on Health & Inequality
Monday, April 20, 2026
4pm
AOK Library GalleryHannah Garth
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Princeton University
Hosted by the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health, and co-sponsored by the Center for Social Science Scholarship.
The Lipitz Lecture
Thursday, May 7, 2026
4pm
AOK Library GalleryErle Ellis, PhD.
Professor
Department of Geography & Environmental Systems
UMBC
Cosponsored by the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
CS3 sponsored events are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University’s nondiscrimination policy.