Culture, Diversity, & Inequality Lab

The Culture, Diversity, and Inequality Lab is comprised of a group of researchers led by Dr. Nicole Stephens. This lab examines how gender, social class, race, and ethnicity affect people's experiences and outcomes in settings such as education and the workplace. Researchers in the lab also develop interventions with the underlying goal of creating more diverse and effective schools, workplaces, and communities. 

Lab Members

Ph.D. Students

​Yumeka Hirayama
​ 1st Year Doctoral Student​

Yumeka received her B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of Pennsylvania. After graduating, she worked at Beyond Conflict and the Peace and Conflict Neuroscience Lab, primarily studying effective interventions to reduce intergroup animosity within and outside of the U.S. Her current research interests are broadly in culture, sense of belonging, and perceptions towards diversity initiatives. In her free time, she likes to go on runs, play the piano, crochet, and explore restaurants and cafes.

Kathy Vo
​ 2nd Year Doctoral Student

Kathy received her B.A. in Psychology & Sociology from the UC Berkeley. Following graduation, she spent three years as a lab manager at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Kathy studies social hierarchies, inequality, and impression management. In her free time, she likes to rock climb and try out new restaurants.

Jennie Kim
​  3rd Year Doctoral Student

Jennie’s research interests lie at the intersection of business, education, policy, and technology, seeking to understand why inequality persists in organizations and looking for ways to improve educational, professional, and life outcomes for those from marginalized communities. During her free time, Jennie enjoys going to live music concerts and practicing Spanish/French on Duolingo.

Lab Alumni

Rebecca Carey

Rebecca Carey is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Princeton University. In Rebecca’s research, she examines social class as a significant cultural context that has a powerful influence on how people think, feel, and act, in large part, because of its influence on the nature of their close relationships. Ultimately, the goal of her research is to (1) understand the consequences of adversity and inequality on human psychology and (2) identify novels pathways for mitigating social disparities. She received her PhD in Psychology from Stanford University and worked as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Kellogg School of Management with Nicole. 
Faculty Website | Personal Website

Andrea Dittmann

Andrea Dittmann is currently an Assistant Professor of Organization & Management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Andrea studies diversity and inequality in the workplace, particularly the ways in which employees’ social class backgrounds continue to shape their experiences with obstacles and strengths at work. She also studies the design and implementation of interventions aimed at reducing workplace inequalities. She received her PhD in Management & Organizations from Kellogg, where Nicole was her primary advisor.
Faculty Website | Personal Website

Hannah  Birnbaum

Hannah Birnbaum is currently an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Washington University in St. Luis - Olin School of Business. Hannah's research centers around diversity, inequality, and interventions. In particular, she examines obstacles to successful DEI initiatives and proposes solutions to increase their effectiveness. Hannah employs a multi-method approach to her research, including conducting field studies, lab experiments, surveys, and interviews. She received her PhD in Management & Organizations from Kellogg, where Nicole was her primary advisor. 
Personal Website | Linkedin

Mindy  Truong

Mindy Truong is currently an Assistant Professor of Management at the University of California, Riverside. She examines how social class affects people’s experiences in organizations. She received her B.S. in Psychology from University of California, San Diego and her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. She worked as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Kellogg School of Management with Nicole.
Faculty Website | Personal Website​

Lydia  Emery

Lydia Emery is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago. Her research examines how social class and identity shape people's experiences in romantic relationships. Lydia Emery received her B.A from Haverford College, where she majored in Psychology and English, and her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Northwestern University. She worked as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Kellogg School of Management with Nicole.
Faculty Website | Personal Website
Lab Managers
Hannah Song
​Zoe Schwingel-Sauer
Emma Ward-Griffin
​Alana Cohen
Gorana Ilic
Viki Papadakis