2021 Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring Award Winner

Karen L. Suyemoto is Professor of Psychology, and affiliated faculty in the Asian American Studies and Critical Ethnic and Community Studies Programs at the University of Massachusetts Boston.  She teaches doctoral level and undergraduate courses on race, culture, and mental health; psychology and social justice activism; and qualitative methods. Her teaching and research focus on the psychology of racism and oppression, psychological aspects of advocacy and resistance against racism, and promoting cultural responsiveness and anti-racism in education and in psychological practice. Current research projects include a 2-book project focused on teaching and learning about race, oppression, privilege, and intersectional statuses and projects focused on developing models and measures of resistance, including the Resistance and Empowerment Against Racism measure. Dr. Suyemoto has served as the Co-Director of the New England Center for Inclusive Teaching, the President of the Asian American Psychological Association, and the Chair of the American Psychological Association’s Task Force for the recently released Guidelines for Race and Ethnicity in Psychology. She is the recipient of the Liem award for Outstanding Doctoral Mentoring and the AAPA’s Distinguished Contributions Award and was recognized as a White House Champion of Change: Asian American Pacific Islander Women under the Obama administration.  She provides consultation and training locally and nationally on advancing social justice within psychology training, student services, academic settings, and community practice organizations (website: klsuyemoto.net).