Colloquium Series
Departmental Colloquium Series 2026-2027
During the academic year, the department of psychology invites respected scholars to give lectures on research and theory in contemporary psychology. Please see the schedule below for more details and room locations. All are welcome to attend and engage with the Northwestern Psychology Community.
November
Rich Lee
Professor of Psychology, University of Minnesota
Date & Time: Friday, November 6th, 2026 - 3:15pm
Location: Swift Hall, Room 107
Title: Understanding culture, race, ethnicity, and migration through the study of intercountry adoption
Abstract: Intercountry adoption began shortly after World War II, but psychological research on intercountry adoption dates back to only the 1970s. Prior to then, intercountry adoption was largely seen as a humanitarian act to save the children. The overwhelming majority of research on adoptees has focused on the environmental and genetic influences on child development. From these studies, adoption has come to be viewed as a natural experiment and, by extension, intervention. Largely overlooked in these landmark studies are the cultural and racial experiences of adopted children, adolescents, and adults, as well as the ways in which adoptive families navigate these differences. Intentional or not, this oversight has enforced a dominant adoption narrative that centers the adoptive parent, infantilizes adoptees, and perpetuates a colorblind racial ideology. In this talk, I present my 25+ year journey conducting research using a range of psychological research methods on Korean Americans who were adopted transracially and transnationally into White families. Viewing adoption as a lifelong journey navigating culture, race, ethnicity, and migration, I specifically focus on the post-adoption life experiences of adopted children, adolescents, and adults, as well as the descendents of adoptees. I discuss key findings that expand our understanding of socialization, identity, belonging, and family. I also address community and methodological challenges, including what it means to do this work as a non-adopted person, and make the case that a critical adoption studies approach, informed by ethnic studies, pushes back on dominant adoption narratives and opens up new lines of psychological inquiry.
April
Lisa Fazio
Associate Professor of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University
Date & Time: Friday, April 30th , 2027 - 3:15pm
Location: Swift Hall 107
May
Jonathan Schooler
Distinguished Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara
Date & Time: Friday, May 14th, 2027 - 3:15pm
Location: Swift Hall, Room 107
Title : Promoting openness in selves, society and science
Abstract : Openness to experience — the quality of being receptive to new ideas and experiences — is one of the Big Five personality traits, but it is also a state. Emerging evidence suggests that routinely engaging the state of openness can enhance the trait. In this talk, I review assorted ways of cultivating state openness and propose that its pursuit could catch on as mindfulness has — with potentially profound consequences. At the individual level, increased openness could enhance curiosity, intellectual humility, and creativity. At the societal level, it could reduce polarization and foster the cognitive flexibility needed to adapt to global changes associated with climate and AI. At the scientific level, it could invite consideration of alternative ontologies underpinning our understanding of consciousness.