Pete Fisher

Pete Fisher

 

Why do you think it is important to study diversity and inclusion? 

I chose to study psychology to advance causes of social justice and equality through rigorous empirical research. I want to encourage members of privileged social groups to engage with their identities and values when considering diversity and inclusion initiatives, because I think it is easy for people in these groups to overlook the reasons these initiatives are important. Everyone benefits from increased diversity, and I want to understand the psychological barriers that keep people in privileged groups from supporting these causes. How can white people have productive conversations about race with other white people? How can men help other men understand sexism? These are questions that I want to help people answer.

Describe a time you felt socially connected to UCLA? 

I met many members of the CCL for the first time at the SPSP conference in 2018, before I'd officially started as a graduate student at UCLA. I was blown away by everyone's  welcoming attitude, natural curiosity, and passion for research. Thanks to them, I felt like a member of the community even before I arrived in LA. I'm excited to build more connections at UCLA through my classes and joining different campus groups and activities.