Rutgers-Newark Vice Provost Elected President of National Society Focused on Psychology and Social Issues

Luis Rivera, Rutgers University-Newark’s vice provost for academic innovation and a psychology professor, was elected president of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, a national organization with a leading role in using research to inform public policy.

Rivera, a social psychologist, described the organization as a critical bridge between science and public decision-making.

“One of the core missions is not just to produce original research but to translate social psychological research in terms of legislation and policy,” said Rivera.

For nearly 90 years, the society has united psychologists and other social scientists committed to understanding issues such as prejudice, inequality, education, health and poverty.

Its collaborations with government and community organizations have supported the civil rights litigation leading to Brown v. Board of Education and maintained a United Nations affiliation since 1987. Among the society’s presenters over the decades was Martin Luther King Jr.

“Many people on Capitol Hill are not really aware that psychology is a science and we produce scientifically rigorous work that can inform how to improve lives nationally and internationally,” said Rivera.

His election reflects both his national standing as a scholar and Rutgers-Newark’s growing reputation as a research institution.

“Dr. Rivera is widely respected by his colleagues due to his thoughtfulness, critical insights into complex problems, scientific rigor, and commitment to social justice and social issues research,” said Kimberly Kahn, the society’s president.  “He will be leading the society during a particularly critical time as it navigates federal cuts to social science research and broader attacks on science. I look forward to having Dr. Rivera’s voice lead us on these timely and significant social issues,’’ she said.

Rivera will serve as president-elect in 2026-27 before assuming the organization’s presidency in September 2027. In the interim, he will be on the society’s executive committee leadership team.

A longtime member of the society, Rivera has been deeply involved in its leadership since 2009, serving as an elected council member, conference organizer and, in 2023, being named a Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Fellow.

His work identifies how bias can affect social outcomes and the best ways to develop interventions.

Rivera’s research has been disseminated widely across academic, policy and public audiences, including presentations to congressional staff and federal agencies in Washington, D.C., advancing psychological theory while positioning the field as a critical contributor to addressing systemic inequities, particularly in the fields of health and education.

Early support from the society enabled his research on anti-gay prejudice, which was later cited in a landmark California Supreme Court case advancing LGBTQ+ rights. He also drafted legislation and oversight letters addressing systemic biases in artificial intelligence and supported efforts to limit discriminatory biometric technologies.

Over the course of his career, Rivera has secured support from major funders, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

His projects have explored mentoring and belonging in STEM fields, pathways to graduate education in the geosciences, and efforts to broaden participation among underrepresented students in science and mathematics.

Among the largest awards associated with Rivera’s work are a $4 million NSF-funded STEM alliance project and a $846,000 NSF-funded project examining the role of colonialism in the racial identity of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico.

Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson congratulated Rivera on his new role.

“This is a wonderful recognition of Luis Rivera’s work as a social psychologist and a researcher committed to addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges,” said Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson. “His leadership of this influential organization speaks to the caliber of research at Rutgers-Newark and our faculty’s commitment to using their expertise to make a difference beyond the university.”

As president of the society, Rivera hopes to leverage the its potential for working toward municipal and statewide change. “I will strengthen the organization’s voice at the federal level while expanding its presence at state and local levels, where opportunities to move policy are often more immediate and impactful,” he said.