The Distinguished Lecture in Psychology
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
March 4, 2026
4pm
AOK Library GalleryJanet Currie, Ph.D.
Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, Emeritus
Princeton University
Hosted by the Department of Economics and co-sponsored by the Center for Social Science Scholarship.
The Low Lecture
March 31, 2026
4pm
AOK Library GalleryWarren Milteer, Jr.
Associate Professor
U.S. History, Early America, Nineteenth-Century U.S.
The Georrge Washington University
Hosted by the Department of History and co-sponsored by the Center for Social Science Scholarship.
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
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
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.
