Fiona White

Professor Fiona White is a distinguished academic in the Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney, where she serves as a Professor in Social Psychology and Director of the Sydney University Psychology of Intergroup Relations (SUPIR) Research Lab. With a PhD from the University of Sydney (1997), she has established herself as an internationally recognized expert in prejudice and stigma reduction, particularly through innovative electronic contact (E-contact) interventions. Her research aligns with the Faculty of Science Research Strengths in Brain Behaviour and Cognition, and Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifespan.

White's research focuses on developing and evaluating social cognitive strategies to reduce prejudice and stigma, with particular emphasis on E-contact tools that facilitate intergroup harmony. Her internationally acclaimed work includes the Dual Identity Electronic (E)-Contact (DIEC) framework, which has demonstrated long-term bias reduction between diverse groups including Muslims and Christians, Protestants and Catholics, and various sexual and gender identities. She has pioneered research examining both ingroup and outgroup perspectives in prejudice reduction, arguing that both voices need to be heard for effective interventions.

Her extensive publication record includes over 100 peer-reviewed articles with more than 5,000 citations (h-index=38), reflecting the significant impact of her work. Recent publications demonstrate her continued leadership in developing innovative prejudice reduction methods, including virtual reality applications and mixed-reality technology for racism reduction. Her research spans multiple contexts including educational settings, online environments, and international conflict zones.

• 2024: Faculty of Science Learning & Teaching Award for HDR Supervisor of the Year
• 2024: Faculty of Science Teacher Commendation Award
• 2023: SUPRA Supervisor of the Year Award
• 2022: LOGIE nomination for 'The School That Tried To End Racism'
• 2021: AACTA nomination for same documentary series
• 2017: Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Leadership
• 2013: Office of Learning and Teaching Citations Award

Professor White has supervised two post-docs, 24 postgraduates, and over 66 honours students to completion, with recent PhD completions focusing on topics such as mental health stigma, transgender prejudice, and intergroup relations. She currently leads two Australian Research Council funded projects: a Discovery Project on 'Using Mixed-Reality Technology to Develop Effective Racism Reduction Methods' and a Linkage Project on 'Respect Against Racism: Advancing new anti-racist educational e-modules'. As Director of the SUPIR Lab, she oversees a vibrant research team conducting cutting-edge work on intergroup relations across multiple cultural contexts and demographic groups.