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