Alene Moris Women’s Center

Judith Howard, PhD

Women of Courage

Dr. Judith Howard has been a member of the University of Washington faculty for 35 years. Since 2005, Dr. Howard has served as the Divisional Dean for the Social Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is also a Professor of Sociology and Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies. Prior to her role as Divisional Dean, she served as Chair of Women Studies (now Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies).

Dr. Howard is a fierce advocate for social justice and human potential, a passion that has fueled her life, career, and her leadership of the social sciences. Dr. Howard deeply believes that through teaching, research, and community partnerships, the social sciences play a role in nearly every major issue facing humanity. For this reason, she has empowered countless students, faculty, and staff to this pursue work on issues such as poverty, climate change, wealth inequality, armed conflicts, healthcare, human rights, racial divides, and the wise use of technology.

The core of her work has always been people, from seeking opportunities for collaboration to studying how society shapes and influences people. Dr. Howard considers herself fortunate to have found an academic home filled with fabulous colleagues and is honored to work alongside many faculty, students, staff, and administrators to further the cause of social justice.

Dr. Howard’s research focuses on the social psychology of societal inequalities. She is co-author (with several of her former graduate students) of Gendered Situations, Gendered Selves: A Gender Lens on Social Psychology and co-editor of Everyday Inequalities: Critical Inquiries and Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society. She is a recipient of the 2001 UW Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award and the 2010 UW Graduate School Dean’s Award. Dr. Howard earned her Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and her PhD in Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.