Associate Professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at North Carolina State University
About
Dr. Elan Hope is an associate professor in the department of psychology at North Carolina State University and director of the Hope Lab. Dr. Hope is a native of Prince George's County, Maryland and earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Smith College and her PhD in education and psychology from the University of Michigan. Following graduate school, Dr. Hope completed post-doctoral research (sponsored by the William T. Grant Foundation) in Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago. Dr. Hope takes an assets-based approach to investigate individual and community factors that promote well-being for adolescents and emerging adults who face racism and racial discrimination. In the Hope Lab, research is deeply rooted in the belief that while there are common developmental experiences among racially marginalized youth, individual differences and contextual variation require a deep exploration of diverse pathways to success and well-being.
Current Work:
Dr. Hope is a community and educational psychologist who studies health and well-being among adolescents and emerging adults who face racism and forms of structural oppression. In her latest projects, Dr. Hope is trying to understand structural factors that can increase college and grad school retention for marginalized students. She is also investigating how young people get involved in activism and pursue social justice in their communities.
Research Area(s):
- adolescence; critical consciousness; emerging adulthood; racism; identity
