CONTACT INFORMATION
Department of Psychology
University of California
Tolman Hall
Berkeley, California 94702
Primary e-mail: okonofua@berkeley.edu
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Assistant Professor, Psychology Department
University of California, Berkeley, CA 2016-present
Post Doctoral Researcher, Psychology Department
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 2015-2016
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Advisers: Dr. Gregory Walton & Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt
Dissertation title: “When bias and threat persistently interact: A holistic approach to understand the lingering effects of stereotypes.” August 2015
B.A. in psychology and African American studies, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Advisers: Dr. Jennifer Richeson & Dr. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale June 2008
AWARDS
Cialdini Award,
Society for Personality and Social Psychology, 2018
Distinguished Scholar Award,
Stanford University, Vice Provost of Graduate Education, 2015
Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence,
Stanford University, Black Community Services Center, 2015
Graduate Research Opportunity Award,
Stanford University, School of Humanities and Science, 2013
Diversity Travel Award,
Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), 2013
Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award,
Stanford University, Psychology One Program, 2011
First Runner-up Graduate Research Poster Award,
Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), 2010
William H. Exum Award for scientific paper,
Northwestern University, Sociology Department, 2008
Undergraduate Fellowship,
Northwestern University, Institute for Policy Research, 2007
GRANT AND FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT
Google/Tides Foundation
Research Grant, 2017-present
Character Lab
Research Grant, 2015-present
Social Psychological Answers to Real-World Questions, SPARQ
Fellow, 2014 - Present
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research
Research Grant, 2013
Diversity Dissertation Research Opportunity, Stanford Vice Provost for Graduate Education,
Research Grant, 2013-2015
Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence
Fellowship, 2013-2015
Ford Foundation
Diversity Dissertation Fellowship Honorable Mention, 2011
National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention, 2010
Ford Foundation
Diversity Dissertation Fellowship Honorable Mention, 2010
Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education
Graduate Fellowship, Stanford University, 2009-2015
MANUSCRIPTS AND PUBLICATIONS
Okonofua, J. A. & Eberhardt, J. A. (2015). Two-strikes: Race and disciplinary action in K-12 schooling. Psychological Science.
Okonofua, J. A., Walton, G. M., & Eberhardt, J. A. (2016). A vicious cycle: Racial bias and perceptions of bias interactively perpetuating disproportionate discipline. Perspectives on Psychological Science.
Okonofua, J. A., Paunesku, D., & Walton, G. M. (2016). A brief intervention to encourage empathic discipline halves suspension rates among adolescents. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
INVITED TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS
LaCosse-Brannon, J., Okonofua, J. A., Boucher, K., & Burnette, J. (2016). "New Directions in Mindset Research." Invited Symposium Presentation, the 28th APS Annual Convention, Chicago, IL
Okonofua, J. A. (2016). "Combating Implicit Bias to Reduce Racial Disparities in the Juvenile Justice System." Invited Presentation, Development and Integration of Mitigation Evidence Conference, New Orleans, LA
Okonofua, J. A. (2016). "Combating School Suspensions with Science." Invited Presentation, St. Helena Public Library, St. Helena, CA
Okonofua, J. A. (2016). "A Vicious Cycle: A Social-Psychological Account of Extreme Racial Disparities in School Discipline." Colloquia, University of California-Berkeley’s Institute of Personality and Social Research (IPSR), Berkeley, CA
Okonofua, J. A. (2016). "Implicit Bias in School Discipline and a Brief Intervention to Mitigate Suspensions." Invited Presentation, Seneca Family of Agencies, Oakland, CA
Okonofua, J. A. (2016). "Combating School Suspensions with Science." Invited Presentation, Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) Conference, San Diego, CA
Okonofua, J. A., Harris, M., & Benton, H. (2015). "Improving Legal Advocacy for Children by Addressing Implicit Bias." Symposium, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, New Orleans, LA
Okonofua, J. A. (2015). "Implicit Bias in School Discipline and a Brief Intervention to Mitigate Suspensions." Invited Presentation, Seneca Family of Agencies, Oakland, CA
Glaser, J. & Okonofua, J. A. (2015). "Combating School Suspensions with Science." Invited Presentation, National Association for Advancement of Colored People’s Legal Defense Fund’s Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity for Capital and Non-Capital Defense Lawyers, New York, NY
Okonofua, J. A. (2015). "Combating School Suspensions with Science." Invited Presentation, Californians for Justice’s Race & Education Webinar, Oakland, CA
Okonofua, J. A., Harris, M., & Benton, H. (2015). "Combating Implicit Bias to Reduce Racial Disparities in the Juvenile Justice System." Symposium, American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law Conference, Washington, DC
Okonofua, J. A. (2015). "Bias and Disciplinary Action: An Intervention to Combat School Suspensions." Invited Presentation, American Civil Liberties Union, San Francisco, CA
Okonofua, J. A., Harris, M., & Briscoe-Smith, A. (2015). "Combating Implicit Bias to Reduce Disparities in the School to Prison Pipeline." Symposium, Equal Justice Society’s Mind, Science Conference, Oakland, CA
Okonofua, J. A. (2015). "Two-strikes: Race and the Disciplining of Young Adults." Invited Interview, MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry Show, New York, NY
Okonofua, J. A. (2015). "Implicit Bias and the School to Prison Pipeline." Invited Presentation, National Center for Youth Law, Oakland, CA
Okonofua, J. A., Harris, M., & Benton, H. (2014). "Combating Implicit Bias to Reduce Racial Disparities in the School to Prison Pipeline." Symposium, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Arlington, VA
Okonofua, J. A., Harris, M., & Benton, H. (2014). "Combating Implicit Bias to Reduce Racial Disparities in the Juvenile Justice System." Symposium, National Partnership For Juvenile Services, Greensboro, NC
Okonofua, J. A. (2014). ) "How stereotypes contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline." Colloquia, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s and Black Psychology Students Association’ Walking Targets, Stanford, CA
Okonofua, J. A. (2013). "Disproportionate discipline: How the effects of stereotypes escalate." Poster Presentation, Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) Conference, New Orleans, LA
Okonofua, J. A. (2011). "Race in school settings: Subtle cues and disciplinary activity." Poster Presentation, Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) Conference, San Antonio, TX
COURSES
Instructor
Introduction to Social Psychology, Stanford University
Lecturer
Introduction to Development Psychology, Stanford University
Lecturer
The Psychology of Bias, San Quentin Federal Prison
ADVISING AND MENTORING
Consultant to Teaching Fellows, Psychology One Program, 2013-present
Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE) program for underrepresented graduate students, Graduate Mentor, 2012-present
Ernest Houston Johnson Scholars (EHJS) mentoring program for underrepresented undergraduate students, Graduate Mentor, 2011-2012
Mind, Culture, and Society (MCS) Lab, Graduate Mentor, 2009-2011
ADDITIONAL TRAINING
Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan, 2013
Stanford University Small Group Evaluation Training, 2013
Odum Statistics Institute, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 2010
Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan, 2010
Odum Statistics Institute, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 2009
