Dr. Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby, a prominent educational psychologist and racial equity expert who is on the faculty at the USC Rossier School of Education, has been named the next executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center.
She will replace Dr. Shaun R. Harper, the founding director who first announced in Diverse last year that he was planning to step down after 14 years on the job. Harper, who is the Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership, will remain in the Center as its Chief Research Scientist. He also will maintain his University Professor and Provost Professor appointments in the USC Rossier School of Education, Marshall School of Business, and Price School of Public Policy.
Dr. Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby
DeCuir-Gunby is a tenured full professor and holds the Robert H. Naslund Chair in Curriculum and Teaching. She is also president of the educational psychology division of the American Psychological Association [APA].
“I am excited about the opportunity to serve as the next executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center,” she said. “The Center has long been a leader in illuminating and disrupting systems of oppression to advance equity for marginalized groups. I look forward to helping continue this legacy.”
DeCuir-Gunby has published four books, including Race and Ethnicity in the Study of Motivation in Education [Routledge, 2016] and Understanding Critical Race Research Methods and Methodologies [Routledge, 2019]. In addition, she has published dozens of articles in Educational Researcher, Review of Educational Research, Educational Psychologist, Contemporary Educational Psychology, Teachers College Record, and many other top journals. Her research has been cited in more than 9,000 published studies.
Prior to joining the USC Rossier faculty in 2022, DeCuir-Gunby was a professor and head of the Teacher Education and Learning Sciences Department at North Carolina State University. Before that, she spent five years as the Department’s Graduate Programs Director. She is an APA Fellow and an American Educational Research Association Fellow. More than $4 million in National Science Foundation grants have funded her work. USC Rossier presented her its 2024 Excellence in Teaching Award.
“I am delighted that Professor DeCuir-Gunby has agreed to serve as the Center’s new executive director,” said Dr. Pedro Noguera, Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education. “Jessica’s scholarship is widely acclaimed and her contributions to the field of education have been significant. She will bring tremendous vision and insight to this important leadership opportunity.”
Harper agrees.
“I very publicly announced my plans to transition out of the executive directorship over 2½ years ago,” said Harper. “In a Diverse Issues in Higher Education article published 12 months ago, I committed myself to remaining in the role long enough to find the right successor whom I am confident will sustain our center for many years to come. Thankfully, we have found an extraordinarily talented woman who is ready right now. I absolutely trust Jessica to lead us with inspiring creativity and deep fidelity to our mission, as well as consistent demonstrations of authentic care for our 22 employees, 111 faculty affiliates, dozens of external partners, and hundreds of clients.”
